Yuli Ofer
Yuli Ofer | |
|---|---|
| Born | 1924 Romania |
| Died | 2011-09-11 Herzliya, Israel |
| Occupation(s) | Entrepreneur, businessman |
| Known for | Co-founder of Ofer Brothers Group, founder of Meliseron real estate firm |
Judah "Yuli" Ofer (; 1924 – September 11, 2011) was a prominent Israeli entrepreneur involved in real estate and industrial sectors, recognized as one of the wealthiest individuals in Israel. As a member of the Ofer family, Forbes valued the combined fortune of Yuli and his brother Sammy at $10.3 billion in 2011, positioning them 79th worldwide and as the richest in Israel.
Life and career
Yuli was born in Romania in 1924 and relocated to Mandate Palestine during infancy. Following his service as a major in the Israeli Defense Forces, he initiated a business supplying maritime equipment in Haifa. Together with his brother Sammy, he established the Ofer Brothers Group, launching the shipping enterprise "Mediterranean Routes" in 1956.
Throughout the 1960s and 1970s, Yuli oversaw domestic Israeli operations while Sammy focused on expanding internationally. In the 1980s, their group expanded into the tanker sector across Hong Kong and Singapore and created the cruise line subsidiary "Royal Caribbean." Their acquisitions included a controlling stake in Mizrahi Bank in 1994 and, in 1999, they purchased Israel's largest holding company, Israel Corporation, along with significant assets such as Haifa Oil Refineries, Israel Chemicals, and Zim Integrated Shipping Services.
Yuli also founded "Meliseron," a real estate firm that owns major shopping centers in Israel, including Ramat Aviv Mall, Renanim Mall, and Kiryon Mall, among others.
In 2002, the brothers divided their business interests: Sammy transferred his holdings in real estate and Mizrahi Bank to Yuli, while Yuli handed over his shares in Israel Corporation to Sammy.
Death
Yuli Ofer passed away at age 87 on September 11, 2011, at his residence in Herzliya. His brother Sammy had died several months prior. Following Yuli's death, a dispute arose between his children, Liora and Doron Ofer, concerning inheritance matters. Notably, Yuli had amended his will in 2008 to allocate the majority of his assets to Liora.
See also
External links
- Businessman Yuli Ofer passes away at the age of 87 - published by the Jerusalem Post on September 12, 2011
- Netanyahu laments death of Yuli Ofer - published on Ynet on September 12, 2011
- Yuli Ofer, one of Israel's richest men, dies at 87 - published by The Seattle Times on September 12, 2011
- Articles with short description
- Articles with hCards
- No local image but image on Wikidata
- 1924 births
- 2011 deaths
- Romanian Jews
- Romanian emigrants to Mandatory Palestine
- Israeli Jews
- Israeli businesspeople
- Israeli people of Romanian-Jewish descent
- Israeli businesspeople in shipping
- Israeli billionaires
- Date of birth missing
- Naturalized citizens of Israel
- Ofer family