THE LOUNGE
1. Scholas Occurrentes
World ORT, the world’s largest Jewish education and vocational training non-governmental organization, is a member of the Scholas Occurrentes, which promotes intercultural dialogue. A ceremony was recently held under the patronage and participation of Pope Francis that included businessman Dario Werthein, the chair of World ORT’s trustees; Avi Ganon, World ORT’s chief executive; and José María del Corral, president and director of Scholas. As part of the cooperation, the first major inter-cultural dialogue conference is being planned for next year in Argentina.
Miami direct
El Al Chairman Eli Defes, El Al Vice Chairman Tami Mozes Borovitz, EL AL CEO David Maimon and members of the Miami Jewish community celebrated El Al’s first direct flight to Miami this past weekend. The event was held at Golfstream Park, where guests were treated to a live performance by Shlomi Shabat and Misiba Yisraelit.
Attending were Lior Haiat, consul general of Israel to Florida and Puerto Rico; businessman Benny Shabtai; Bonds President Israel Maimon; Rabbi Israel Meir Lau; El Al Vice President of Human Resources Yehudit Grisaro; El Al marketing director Mira Fizitski; and El Al managing director of North and Central America Yoram Elgrabli.
3. Frutarom
Ori Yehudai, president and CEO of Frutarom, a giant flavor and fragrance company, has achieved yet another impressive feat. After acquiring 66 Israeli and foreign companies over the past decade, Yehudai closed a huge deal last week and acquired 100% control of Enzymotec, for $210 million. Following the acquisition, Enzymotec will merge with Frutarom.
Frutarom’s sales turnover has doubled to $1.5 billion. Last week, Yehudai met with Enzymotec employees at their plant in the Galilee and told them that he felt he was planting an olive tree that would bear fruit for generations to come.
4. IDE Technologies
Gilad Cohen, CEO of IDE Americas at IDE Technologies, the Israel-based desalination company, recently hosted Israel’s Ambassador to the United States, Ron Dermer, and his wife, Rhoda, at the Carlsbad Water Treatment Plant in California. During the tour, Cohen briefed the ambassador on treatment plant operations and the solutions IDE is providing for growing water challenges in the region. Recently, in light of the severe drought in California, the most populous state in the US, IDE launched the largest desalination plant in the Western Hemisphere. The facility that supplies water to hundreds of thousands of households in San Diego was built with an investment of $1 billion.
5. Hanan Mor
The Hanan Mor Group, a public real estate developer, held a festive event last Monday to celebrate its tenth anniversary. Mor invited all the employees, partners and friends who have been active in the group from the day it was founded. Hanan Mor and Avi Maor, the owners of the real estate group, welcomed the guests to the evening that was held at Sheva in Tel Aviv. The evening was moderated by mentalist Lior Suchard, who stunned the audience with his abilities.