Stef wertheimer autobiography of a face

Stef Wertheimer

Israeli industrialist and politician

Stef Wertheimer[1] (Hebrew: זאב סטף ורטהיימר, born 16 July ) is an Israeli billionaire industrialist, investor, philanthropist and former politician. He was a Member of the Knesset, and is known for founding industrial parks in Israel and neighboring countries.[2] The Wertheimers are Israel's richest family as of [3]

Biography

Stef (Ze'ev) Wertheimer was born in Kippenheim, Germany to a Jewish family.[4][5] His family fled to Mandatory Palestine in to escape Nazism.[5]

He studied in the Tel-Nordau School in Tel Aviv but dropped out of school at age 16 and started working in a camera repair store.[6] At the same time, he began studying optics with Professor Emanuel Goldberg, a researcher and inventor who contributed significantly to different aspects of imaging technology in the first half of the twentieth century.[7]

In , during World War II, Wertheimer joined the British Royal Air Force.

Wertheimer served as an optical equipment technician.

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    • He was sent to Bahrain where he repaired optical equipment installed in Britain's military aircraft.[5]

    In he joined the Palmach, where he served as a technical officer in the "German Unit" – a special guerilla force trained with British cooperation to participate in combat operations against the German army, should it reach Israel.[8] In , he joined the Haganah and worked in the development and improvement of cannons.[9][10] During the Arab-Israeli War, he served as a technical officer in the Yiftach Brigade.[11]

    After the war, Wertheimer started working at Rafael, only to be dismissed shortly thereafter because of his lack of formal education.

    Following the war, he and his wife briefly lived on kibbutz Yir'on, but left, as he did not agree with the socialist economic model adopted by the kibbutz movement.[12]

    Wertheimer is married with four children and lives in Tel Aviv.[13][14] His granddaughter is the Israeli actress Maya Wertheimer.[15] In , Eitan Wertheimer purchased a house for his father, Stef, for 20 million ILS.[16]

    Business career

    In , Wertheimer started his own business in the backyard of his home in Nahariya, a small metal shop and tool making company called ISCAR.

    The company quickly became a success and attracted the interest of Discount Investments, who later became a minority investor in the company. Today, ISCAR is one of the world's largest (by sales) manufacturers of carbide industrial-cutting tools, which are used by carmakers like General Motors and Ford.[17] ISCAR branches exist in dozens of countries worldwide and the company employs over 5, people.[18]

    In , as part of Israeli efforts to overcome the French weapons embargo after the Six-Day War, Wertheimer founded ISCAR Blades which later became Blades Technology – one of the largest manufacturers of blades and vanes for jet engines and industrial gas turbines.

    Wetheimer sold his 51% stake in Blades Technology in to jet engine maker Pratt & Whitney for an undisclosed amount.[19][17]

    In May , Berkshire Hathaway bought 80% of ISCAR Metalworking Company for $4&#;billion (the Wertheimers paid $1&#;billion in taxes to the Israeli government).[20] In May Buffett bought the rest of Iscar for $&#;billion.[21] On 5 March , Forbes listed Wertheimer's net worth at US$ billion, ranking him on the Billionaires list.[22]

    As of January 22, , Forbes estimated Wertheimer's net worth at US$ billion, ranking him worldwide,[23] and 7th wealthiest in Israel.[24]

    Industrial parks

    Wertheimer founded seven industrial parks – in Tefen, Tel Hai, Dalton, Lavon and now Nazareth in the Galilee; in Omer in the Negev; and another in Gebze, Kocaeli, Turkey.

    Each is based on five principles: exports, education, coexistence, community and culture, with the goal of fostering economic growth and job creation to help create stability in the region. As Wertheimer has explained, "The idea of industrial parks in the Middle East and on the borders between Israel and its neighbors is that the parks will bring industry and provide jobs, which will keep people busy working, instead of engaging in terrorism."[25]

    Wertheimer's model park is the Tefen Industrial Park.

    Built in , it encompasses everything from transportation to cultural and educational facilities. Wertheimer's industrial park in the mixed Muslim-Christian Arab city of Nazareth, where Jews and Arabs work side by side, opened in April Wertheimer and Nazareth Mayor Ramez Jeraisy explained that the industrial park is part of a unique model to promote the advancement of Arab-Jewish Israeli export companies.

    During his visit to Israel in , Pope Benedict had met with both men at the site of the future park and gave his blessing to the project.

    Lucy grealy photo Wertheimer's vision includes building an additional industrial parks that will employ Israelis and Palestinians. Rights Sold:. Wertheimer isn't confining his idea to Israel though, and has plans underway in Turkey and Jordan. Wertheimer's model park is the Tefen Industrial Park.

    Wertheimer has said, "Coexistence in the industrial park in Arab Nazareth is a good example of coexistence. When people work together, they have no time for nonsense. They're too tired at night to commit terrorist acts. They're satisfied, they engage in producing. They work together, not against each other."[25]

    Peace efforts

    Wertheimer promotes the idea of a "Marshall Plan for the Middle East" – his concept for using industry to provide training, create jobs, alleviate poverty and raise the per capita income of those living in the Middle East.[26]

    In the s, he drew up plans for an industrial park in Rafah, in the Gaza Strip.

    The Palestinian and the Israeli governments both offered support, but one week before the groundbreaking ceremony, the Second Intifada broke out and that plan was indefinitely shelved.[27]

    In , he testified before the United States House of Representatives about a "new Marshall Plan" that advocates U.S.

    funding to revitalize the Middle East through a sustained effort to promote commerce, jobs, and a free economy in the region.[28]

    Wertheimer's vision includes building an additional industrial parks that will employ Israelis and Palestinians. Wertheimer isn't confining his idea to Israel though, and has plans underway in Turkey and Jordan.[25]

    "My Marshall Plan is based on aid from Western countries for strengthening the Middle East, in order to achieve peace and tranquillity.

    The parks will serve as a five-year incubator for manufacturing and export companies. If aid is obtained, the parks can usher in an era in which production, exports, education, and an advanced quality of life can replace terrorism and poverty," elaborated Wertheimer on his vision.[25]

    Political career

    In Wertheimer was amongst the founding members of Democratic Movement for Change, a new centrist political party.

    The party was highly successful, winning 15 seats in the elections, with Wertheimer taking one of the seats.

    Autobiography of a face online It was at this stage of his life that he began founding industrial parks, above all in Galilee and the Negev. Wertheimer is especially proud of the industrial park currently being constructed in the Arab-Israeli city of Nazareth, where Jews and Arabs will work side by side. Stef Wertheimer born 16 July is a German-born Israeli entrepreneur and industrialist, a former Member of the Knesset, and is well known for founding industrial parks in Israel and neighboring countries. Hidden categories: CS1 Hebrew-language sources he Webarchive template wayback links Articles with short description Short description is different from Wikidata Use dmy dates from April Articles with hCards Articles containing Hebrew-language text.

    When the party split up in , he joined Shinui. In following an accident,[27] he resigned from the Knesset (was replaced by Stella Levy) and returned to his business ventures. During his term in the Knesset, he was a member of the Economics Committee. He remains active in bridging gaps between the Jewish and Arab populations of Israel, particularly by boosting Arab participation in the country's high-tech sector.[29]

    Prior to elections, he took the honorary final slot on Tzipi Livni's new list, Hatnuah.[30] He endorsed her alliance with Labor, the Zionist Union, in [31]

    Awards and recognition

    In , Wertheimer was awarded the Israel Prize for his special contribution to society and the State of Israel.[32]

    In he received the Buber-Rosenzweig-Medal.[33]

    He received the Oslo Business for Peace Award in ,[34] which is given to leaders in the private sector who have demonstrated transformative and positive change through ethical business practices.

    In he received the President's Medal (Israel)[35]

    See also

    References

    1. ^"Ze'ev Stef Wertheimer". geni_family_tree. 16 June
    2. ^Who Is Stef Wertheimer?, Stacy Perman, Business Week, 14 March
    3. ^"Turning against the tycoons".

      The Economist. 14 September

    4. ^"Israeli Billionaire Creates Industrial Jobs to Foster Peace Between Jews and Arabs". .
    5. ^ abc"ורטהימר סטף". (in Hebrew). Retrieved 20 May
    6. ^"סטף ורטהיימר - מבית מלאכה של 20 מ"ר לעסקה עם באפט |".

      הון (in Hebrew).

    7. Autobiography of a face reviews
    8. Autobiography of a face summaries
    9. Autobiography of a face wikipedia

      10. 10 July Retrieved 20 May

    10. ^"כמו אנה פרנק". הארץ (in Hebrew). Retrieved 20 May
    11. ^"האדם והלהב- סיפורו של 'יקה'". . Retrieved 20 May
    12. ^"סטף ורטהיימר: מהפיטורים מרפאל עד האקזיט המדהים". TheMarker. Retrieved 20 May
    13. ^"זאב (סטף) ורטהיימר".

      Stef wertheimer autobiography of a face It was at this stage of his life that he began founding industrial parks, above all in Galilee and the Negev. When people work together, they have no time for nonsense. A book compiled by his friends to mark his 80th birthday contains a plan of a model industrial centre drawn by the year-old Stef. He received the Oslo Business for Peace Award in , [ 34 ] which is given to leaders in the private sector who have demonstrated transformative and positive change through ethical business practices.

      . Retrieved 20 May

    14. ^"זאב (סטף) ורטהיימר". . Retrieved 20 May
    15. ^Stef Wertheimer (11 April ). "Capitalism did not destroy the Israeli kibbutz - it saved it - Opinion - Israel News". Retrieved 9 April
    16. ^Israeli tycoon urges help for Palestinians, BBC News, 17 July
    17. ^"Forbes profile: Stef Wertheimer".

      Forbes. Retrieved 5 August

    18. ^Stoler, Tofi (31 October ). "As City Bristles Over Real Estate Plans, Veteran Tel Aviv Mayor Beats Opposition". CTECH - .
    19. ^Tsur, Shlomit (18 November ). "Eitan Wertheimer buys NIS 20m Tel Aviv house".

      Autobiography of a face reviews: In his second life, Wertheimer founded and managed two successful companies: "Iscar", which became a global player in the metalworking industry, and Lehavim, which produced rotor blades and turbine blades for jet planes and turbines in cooperation with a US company. Having been presented with the award on stage, the host asked Wertheimer to say a few words about religion. In Wertheimer was amongst the founding members of Democratic Movement for Change , a new centrist political party. Ever since, he has devoted his time to helping start-up companies, some of which are Jewish-Arab projects, in six of the industrial parks he founded.

      Globes (in Hebrew). Retrieved 31 January

    20. ^ abStef Wertheimer & Family, Forbes, dated October
    21. ^"Iscar: One of Israel's largest businesses, and wholly private - Globes". (in Hebrew). 7 May Retrieved 20 May
    22. ^"About Blades Technology Ltd".

      . Retrieved 20 May

    23. ^Jerusalem Post [1] Jerusalem Post, 6 May
    24. ^"Buffett buys remainder of Israel's Iscar for $b - Business - Jerusalem Post". Retrieved 2 December
    25. ^"Eyal Ofer". Forbes.

      Autobiography of a face synopsis Honorary chairman, IMC. Learn about the origins of your family. The Coordination Council of Christian-Jewish Societies recently celebrated its annual "Week of Brotherliness", the motto of which this year was a quote from the founder of the state of Israel, David Ben Gurion: "Anyone who doesn't believe in miracles is not a realist. Hidden categories: CS1 Hebrew-language sources he Webarchive template wayback links Articles with short description Short description is different from Wikidata Use dmy dates from April Articles with hCards Articles containing Hebrew-language text.

      Retrieved 20 May

    26. ^"Stef Wertheimer & family". Forbes. Retrieved 27 January
    27. ^"Wealthiest People in Israel (January 22, )". CEOWORLD magazine.
    28. ^ abcdStef Wertheimer's New Middle EastArchived 7 October at the Wayback Machine Israel21c, 11 January
    29. ^"Stef Wertheimer's New Middle East - Globes".

      (in Hebrew). 5 January Retrieved 20 May

    30. ^ abGiving Galilee a Foothold in Industry, New York Times, 18 May
    31. ^Marshall Plan for Middle EastArchived 1 November at the Wayback Machine News Advisory, U.S. House of Representatives, Committee on International Relations, 22 July
    32. ^Arabs and Jews in high-tech Israel: Bring them together
    33. ^"Likud: Divide on Left will result in easy victory - Diplomacy & Politics - Jerusalem Post".

      Archived from the original on 20 March Retrieved 2 December

    34. ^Danna Harman (13 March ). "How is one of Israel's wealthiest men voting in the election?". Haaretz.
    35. ^"Israel Prize Official Site – Recipients in (in Hebrew)". Archived from the original on 7 March
    36. ^"Israeli industrialist Stef Wertheimer to receive Buber-Rosenzweig-Medal".

      EJP. 25 February Retrieved 20 May

    37. ^"Past Honourees".
    38. ^"Peres honors five Israeli success stories, two weeks before he leaves". 11 July

    External links