Shari Arison

Shari Arison (Template:Langx; born Template:Birth date) is an American-born Israeli businesswoman and philanthropist. She is the owner of Arison Investments, which consists of several companies, and of The Ted Arison Family Foundation, which comprises several philanthropic organizations that operate as its subsidiaries. She was the controlling shareholder of Bank Hapoalim for 21 years until she sold some of her shares in November 2018. She was also an owner of Shikun & Binui for 22 years, sold to the Saidoff Group on August 6, 2018.

As of 2007, according to Forbes, she is the richest woman in the Middle East, and the only woman to be ranked in the region's top 20 of the richest people.<ref name=":0">Forbes topic page on Shari Arison. Accessed November 2021.</ref><ref>7 Israelis on Forbes' list of richest Mideast billionaires – Israel Money, Ynetnews</ref> As of January 22, 2024, Forbes listed Arison's net worth at US$4.4 billion, ranking her 672 on the Billionaires list and she was ranked eighth among the top wealthiest people in Israel.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Early life

Arison was born in New York City, and is the daughter of the businessman Ted Arison, the founder of Carnival Cruise Lines, and Mina Arison Sapir.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> She has an older brother, Micky. In 1966, her parents divorced, and she moved to Israel to live with her mother. At the age of 12 she returned to the US to live with her father, and five years later she returned to Israel in order to enlist in the Israel Defense Forces. In 1999, Arison's father died and bequeathed her 35 per cent of his possessions.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Career

In 2003, she was the target of protests after 900 workers were fired from Bank Hapoalim.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

In March 2009, Arison sponsored Israel's third annual "Good Deeds Day" in which her non-profit organization, Ruach Tova, inspired thousands of Israelis to get involved in volunteering across the country.<ref name="Ynet1">Be part of a day that is all good, Ynet News, Published March 17, 2009.</ref> As part of the event, which took place near Tel Aviv, a Palestinian youth orchestra performed in an hour-long concert in honor of Holocaust survivors.<ref name="JPost">Essay: If dialogue is a crime, we are all guiltyTemplate:Dead link, by David Saranga, Jerusalem Post, Published April 16, 2009.</ref> They played classical Arabic tunes and songs of peace, but upon the group's return to Jenin, local Arab authorities condemned the orchestra's leader for her "exploitation of the children for political purposes."<ref name="NYT">Concert for Holocaust Survivors Is Condemned, By ISABEL KERSHNER and KHALED ABU AKER, New York Times, Published March 29, 2009.</ref> The event garnered worldwide media attention.<ref name="Ynet2">Real roadblocks to peace, By Abraham Cooper & Harold Brackman, Ynet News, Published April 8, 2009.</ref><ref name="JJ">Israel Faces Soul-Searching Double Standard Template:Webarchive, By Cathy Young, Jewish Journal, Published April 8, 2009.</ref><ref name="TW">Center Field: Don't Cry For Us, New York Jewry Template:Webarchive, Turkish Weekly, Published April 14, 2009.</ref> Following the concert to celebrate "Good Deeds Day", the orchestra conductor was expelled from her hometown of Jenin.<ref name="NYT" />

Arison was awarded the America–Israel Friendship League's Partners for Democracy award in 2010, for her contribution to promoting the economies of Israel and the United States.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

Business activities

Arison owns or is active in various businesses and philanthropic organizations, including:

• Arison Investments
• The Ted Arison Family Foundation
• Bank Hapoalim
• Shikun & Binui
• Goodnet.org — an online media publication featuring "Good News" stories [1]

Personal life

Arison has been married and divorced three times.<ref name=JerPostThreeDivorces>Jerusalem Post: "Grapevine: Three divorces and a wedding" by GREER FAY CASHMAN September 8, 2011</ref> Her first husband was Jose Antonio Sueiras, an officer on one of the ships owned by her father;<ref name=JerPostThreeDivorces /> they had three children.<ref name=HareetzRagsRiches>Haaretz: "From riches to riches - It's a difficult time for billionaire Shari Arison. Instead of hearing praise for her philanthropy, she finds herself trying to justify the massive layoffs at Bank Hapoalim, in a PR effort gone badly wrong" By Neri Livneh January 29, 2003</ref> Her second husband was basketball player Miki Dorsman;<ref name=JerPostThreeDivorces /> they had one child.<ref name=HareetzRagsRiches /> Her third husband was Ofer Glazer.<ref name=JerPostThreeDivorces />

See also

• Arison family

External links

• Official website
• Template:LCAuth