Barak Abramov
Barak Abramov | |
|---|---|
| Born | 1979 Nahalat Yitzhak, Tel Aviv, Israel |
| Occupation | Entrepreneur |
| Known for | Owner of Japanika restaurant chain; former owner of Bnei Yehuda Tel Aviv F.C.; owner of Beitar Jerusalem F.C. |
Barak Abramov (; born 1979) is an Israeli entrepreneur who progressed from a franchise operator to the proprietor of the Japanika restaurant chain, consolidating his assets within Andorra Investments Group. Between 2016 and 2021, he held ownership of Bnei Yehuda Tel Aviv F.C., during which the club won two Israel State Cup trophies but was relegated from the Israeli Premier League. In 2022, he took over ownership of Beitar Jerusalem F.C..
Early and personal life
Abramov was raised in Nahalat Yitzhak, Tel Aviv, and attended school in the neighboring city of Givatayim. Beginning work at the age of 12, he later served for 18 months in the Israel Defense Forces until a medical discharge due to a herniated disc, which caused ongoing back problems.
In January 2023, authorities arrested three individuals suspected of carrying out an armed robbery at Abramov's residence in Tel Aviv. As of 2022, Abramov is a father to two daughters and one son.
Business career
At age 20, Abramov started his career washing dishes at a café in Tel Aviv and eventually advanced to management. He became a partner in the Japanika restaurant located on Rothschild Boulevard and later acquired full ownership of the entire chain. His restaurant enterprises were consolidated under Andorra Investments Group, which reported revenues around ₪700 million in 2022.
Abramov owned Bnei Yehuda Tel Aviv F.C. from 2016 onward, guiding the team to Israel State Cup victories in both 2017 and 2019; however, the club was relegated from the Premier League in 2020. The Japanika chain became the first official sponsor of the league with an annual agreement worth ₪3.2 million, generating estimated media exposure valued at three times that amount.
In 2018, Abramov faced arrest on suspicion of money laundering connected to organized crime but denied these allegations, explaining that substantial cash withdrawals were for personal use. He was subsequently released without any charges.
Following his sale of Bnei Yehuda at the end of 2021, Abramov purchased his favored club, Beitar Jerusalem F.C., acquiring it from Moshe Hogeg. This acquisition was made possible through a ₪2 million fundraising campaign led by former Jerusalem mayor Nir Barkat alongside an anonymous benefactor from South Africa.