Hi,
I am Shari Arison, the daughter of the late Ted Arison and Mina Arison Sapir. I am a mother of four, grandmother of six, and am involved in a wide range of fields.
For many years, I have been very active in business, philanthropy, and spirituality. I served as a member of the board of both public and private companies, and have headed businesses and nonprofit organizations. In partnership with several collaborators, I established a network of roadside restaurants and rest areas with Mövenpick franchise, including one in Tel Aviv. I loved those restaurants, but regretabbly had to close them down due to the security situation in Israel at the time.
Through Arison Investments – the business arm of the Arison Group, I founded Miya – a global water efficiency company that operates to realize the vision of bringing an abundance of pure water to the world. I was also the owner of several other businesses, operating in banking and finance, infrastructure and real estate, water, renewable energy, and salt industry.
I have always led businesses that aim at bringing added value to people, society, the environment, and economy. For many years I strived to change the “systems”, as a whole. We have been successful in many ways, and less so in other aspects. After realizing that I can no longer create the positive change I sought to make, I decided to sell these operating companies that I owned, and have transitioned from a model of ownership to a model of influence.
Today, Arison Investments continues investing globally, and does so specifically in industries that bring added value to humanity. Now I can continue creating impact through investments made from a harmonious, creative, and enjoyable place, focusing on initiatives that bring added value to our planet and humanity at large.
Over the course of many years, I developed The Doing Good Model – a practical day-to-day tool for integrating values at the core of businesses, nonprofits, communities, and individual people. The model incorporates 13 universal values that are applied as a moral compass in any endeavor. The model is taught academically at George Mason University in the USA, and The Doing Good Model Organization guides value implementation in businesses and organizations in Israel and worldwide.
In my father’s name, The Ted Arison Family Foundation was established in the USA in the 1980s and in Israel in the 1990s – a privately-held family fund that makes contributions in a wide range of fields.
I have had the honor of leading many building infrastructure projects in health, education, research, and art, by personally being involved in all the details. Through The Ted Arison Family Foundation, I founded vision ventures that have since continued independently without me, such as Matan – Investing in the Community, for example, which I led for many years in the effort of creating a culture of giving in the Israeli business community.
Over the years, I founded and lead many other ventures, including Essence of Life, which operates to raise awareness and provide tools for inner peace. This organization runs an internet radio station, a website, and a visitor’s center called Mahuti. Goodnet is another organization I launched, which is a social digital platform that inspires acts of goodness, connecting between people and organization that do good worldwide.
The Ted Arison Family Foundation adopted the organization Ruach Tova (Hebrew for Good Spirit), which works to advance voluntarism in Israel by matching people who want to volunteer with organizations that seek volunteers. As part of this organization, I initiated and lead Good Deeds Day – a global day that highlights year-round activities and doing good deeds, celebrated by millions of people in more than 108 countries across the globe.
Forbes has repeatedly ranked me as one of the most influential women in the world, and has listed me as one of the world’s greenest billionaires for my environmental contribution in Israel and worldwide, which is also translated into business dealings.
Additionally, I have been named Hon. Dr. of Humane Letters by George Mason University, in appreciation for “the application of fundamental human values to global business and organizations”, and I have been honored with the Medal of Light from the Israeli Parliament (Knesset) for The Ted Arison Family Foundation’s commitment and contribution to the wellbeing of Holocaust survivors, for its involvement in Israeli society, and activities that benefit the State of Israel.
In August 2021, I received Honorary Doctorate of Philosophy from Reichman University, awarded to me for the vision of Doing Good and creating positive change in the world.
I have also published eight books, which became instant bestsellers in Israel and worldwide, translated into numerous languages. In these books, I write from the heart to share my journey on the path of raising awareness and creating positive change. My books were written from different angles in diverse fields, spirituality, business, giving, art, and children’s stories.
The books that I published are: Birth – When the Material and the Spiritual Come Together, Activate Your Goodness, Material for Thought, The Doing Good Model, A Journey through the Kingdom of Light, A Day of Good Deeds, and Or’s Journey (based on A Journey through the Kingdom of Light).
I adore animals, and love to paint and create. I am vocal about my ideas and opinions on social media, and also host a radio show, all for the goal of realizing my greatest passion – helping people connect with themselves, their very essence and soul, by finding that divine spark within them.
Richard Bernstein is an attorney with more than four decades of experience in the areas of corporate finance, strategic and venture capital financing’s, mergers and acquisitions, licensing and technology transfer transactions; domestic and international joint ventures; and nonprofit organizations. Mr. Bernstein has counseled private and public companies in a variety of matters, including formation, financing, intellectual property, and strategic alliances. He has also managed mergers and acquisition transactions and technology licensing matters in the United States, Israel, Poland, the Netherlands, Russia, Ukraine, Brazil, Argentina, and Uruguay.
Mr. Bernstein earned a bachelor’s in business administration from the University of Wisconsin-Madison in 1976. He then went to the University of Miami School of Law where he earned a J.D. degree in 1980, graduating cum laude.
Mr. Bernstein has been active lay leadership in a number of not-for-profit organizations for over 30 years. He is the current chair of the Board pf Vibe Israel USA and of the Jewish Agency for Israel North American Council. He is the past chair of United Israel Appeal, the iCenter for Israel Education and One Laptop Per Child. Mr. Bernstein is the current chair of the executive committee of ORT America and a past Deputy President of World ORT. Currently he sits on the boards of the Jewish Agency, the Jewish Federations of North America and the Greater Miami Jewish Federation.
Assaf Granit is a Chef, Restaurant owner and a judge on one of the main cooking TV show in Israel.
Born and raised in Jerusalem, Chef Assaf has a lot of respect and love for the city he grew up in and views the city as his inspiration. In 2009, he and his Partner, Chef Uri Navon opened their first restaurant in Jerusalem – Machneyuda, a restaurant near the market, that gathers all the different tastes and scents of the Jerusalem streets.
The interest and appreciation that Machneyuda has received throughout the years has given them a strong drive to explore and experience different culinary cultures and inspired them to open five more restaurants in Jerusalem, three more in London and two in Paris (Shabour, Balgan restaurant).
His locations across Jerusalem, London and Paris have been highly rated since they opened including a Michelin Star for Shabour in Paris.
In 2018, he won title of the best Foreign Chef in France.
In London, Chef Assaf was a founding member of The Palomar in Soho and The Barbary in Covent Garden, and more recently opened [the new and exciting] Coal Office in Kings Cross.
All restaurants Chef Assaf was involved in have been showered with praise including Best Restaurant Awards by Time Out and GQ as well as Tatler Restaurant of the Year and Chef Assaf continues to be one of the most exciting chefs in London and Paris.
Mark Reisbaum brings nearly 30 years of professional experience as a foundation and nonprofit executive to his role as an independent philanthropy advisor working with family foundations and high net-worth individuals. During his 19 years at the San Francisco-based Jewish Community Federation and Endowment Fund, where he served as Chief Endowment Officer and Senior Director of Philanthropic Engagement, Mark advised hundreds of individual philanthropists, couples, families, and foundation boards in best practices in grant making, philanthropy and legacy planning, and program development. He has staffed and served on the boards of over 20 grant making foundations, working with multiple generations in all aspects of financial and fiduciary management; grant making; program development; and management. He has also built innovative programs that have successfully engaged younger philanthropists and entrepreneurs in giving, in expanding their peer networks, and in taking on meaningful volunteer leadership roles.
Mark came to the philanthropic sector after a 10-year career in investment banking, where he structured international financing projects for large, closely held companies and built his coaching, mentoring and training skills as the Director of Entry Level Training for Citicorp’s Institute for Global Finance.
Growing up in a family involved in philanthropy and the arts, Mark has also been an active community volunteer. In addition to serving as Secretary of the Board of Vibe Israel, U.S.A. Mark is currently Chair of the Board of SPARK SF Public School and Treasurer of the Board of the Greenlight Clinic. He previously served on the boards of GLAAD and the STOP AIDS Project. Mark has participated in the OutGiving program for LGBT and allied philanthropists and is an active member of the Jewish Funders Network.
Mark has a B.A. from Columbia College and an M.A. in Nonprofit Administration from the University of San Francisco.
Karin Mayer Rubinstein is the CEO&President of IATI, Israel’s Umbrella Organization of the High-tech, Life Science and other advanced technology industries, with hundreds of members from every level and aspect of the ecosystem, including Venture Capital Funds, Israeli R&D Centers of Multinational Companies, Start-Ups, Growth and Mature Companies, Incubators, Tech Transfer Organization, Academic Institutions, Innovation Centers, Hospitals, Municipalities, service Providers and more. Through this broad range of members, IATI connects Israel’s tech ecosystem, provides solutions and support at all levels, and integrates the various sectors of the industry with strategic and ongoing governmental goals.
Prior to her current position, Karin served as a senior partner and managing director of business development in leading commercial law firms.
In addition, Karin is the Chairperson of The International R&D Relations Committee of Israel National Council For Research & Development; A Member of Board of Governance of Tel Aviv University; A Board Member of The Tel Aviv Foundation; Chairperson of the Friends of Hemda (Science Education Tel Aviv Center) Association; A Member of the Supervisory Goals Committee of the Israel Patent Office Goals at the Justice Ministry; A Member of the Steering Committee to the promoting Arab society in the High-Tec industry; A Member of 8400 (cohort #1) the health network; A member of the 5×2 Initiative’s Steering Committee and more
Karin is a keynote speaker at many leading global conferences and events around the world. She regularly sits as a jury member in leading technology competitions and awards worldwide.
Karin holds a BA in Economics, an LLB and an MBA from Tel-Aviv University. Karin was named, twice in a row, as one of the Top 100 Influential Young Business Persons in Israel by Forbes Magazine, as well as one of the Marker’s Top 40 Leading Young Business Persons.
Professor David J. Reibstein is the William S. Woodside Professor and Professor of Marketing at the Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania. He was previously on the faculty at Harvard Business School, and a visiting Professor at Stanford Business School, and INSEAD in France.
Professor Reibstein is the former Chairman of the Board of Directors of the American Marketing Association and the Executive Director of the Marketing Science Institute. He has served on the board of the Philadelphia Ballet and the Fleischer Art Institute.
Professor Reibstein has been researching the economic impact of the brands of nations. In January 2016, he released the inaugural Best Countries report at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland. In partnership with U.S. News & World Report and WPP’s BAV Consulting, the Best Countries report ranked 80 top nations based on the perceptions of 20,000 global participants. He will soon be releasing the sixth edition of the Best Countries was released in Washington, D.C.
Professor Reibstein’s research focuses on competitive marketing strategies, marketing metrics, branding, and product line decisions, among other issues. His research on competitive marketing strategies addresses competitors’ reactions to marketing actions, offering companies insight into ways to anticipate these reactions and use them as a part of strategizing. His marketing metrics work has focused on linking marketing metrics to financial consequences, resulting in his widely read book Marketing Metrics: The Manager’s Guide to Measuring Marketing Performance. He has authored numerous articles appearing in major marketing journals, including Journal of Marketing Research, Marketing Science, Harvard business Review, Journal of Advertising Research, Journal of Marketing and Journal of Consumer Research.
He was the host for the weekly radio show Measured Thoughts on Wharton Business Radio, Channel 132 on SiriusXM, which can be seen on www.measuredthoughts.com.
Professor Reibstein received his Ph.D. from Purdue University and his B.S. and B.A. degrees from the University of Kansas.
I am the founder and CEO of BOKRA.NET and Bokra TV {Bokra means tomorrow in Arabic}. Our offices Located in Tel Aviv, Haifa and Nof Hagalil, northern Israel. Bokra is an independent and unaffiliated with any political body. Popular Arabic online media, social platform, news portal for Arabs inside and outside Israel, which offers comprehensive, wide range of news, coverage local, national, and global content. Ever since the website was established, we have waved our flag to effect change with everything connected to the field of communication within Arab society. Today, Bokra.net, is a major influence on the agenda of the Arab community inside and outside Israel. Bokra site enjoys visitors from countries around the world, with approximately 850,000 visits per day. We work with the official governmental institutions in Israel to raise awareness and deliver content to Arabic speakers inside and outside Israel. Our content is approved by the Israeli government’s journalism and media agencies. Alongside Bokra Media Group’s we work on many social initiatives to raise awareness on various subjects, we also work in fields such as real estate, high-tech, journalism, export and import of goods to several Middle Eastern countries, and advertising offices in Israel, Turkey and Casablanca, Morocco.
I was born and raised in Haifa, I completed my degrees in journalism and education –English in Haifa. I worked at the Israel Broadcasting Authority and at channel 1 television. During this time, I also served as the coordinator of a youth movement for Arabs and Jews in Haifa. I also volunteered as part of a women’s team in the mayor’s office, where we developed programs to bring women together from different sectors to dialogue and better understand each other.
I am a philanthropist and active member in organizations, which promote awareness in various fields. Such as: home safety, road safety, breast cancer support, and empowerment of people with disabilities, etc. I am a founder and board member of several charitable organizations in Israel, l. I established the first shared society center in Nazareth, which focuses on promoting coexistence between Arabs and Jews. One of the founders of Masira foundation for people with disabilities – a board member of the Arab Philanthropy Foundation in Israel. A board member of the global organization Attentive Capitalism. Board member of the Guardians Organization; a global media organization – for democratic media and freedom of expression. Board member of the Dov Lautman Foundation for Education and Democracy.
Justine supports companies with their growth journey and raising capital on the London public markets – via both the AIM and the Main Market. Justine’s distinguished career centers around entrepreneurship, combined with a life purpose to develop the support structures surrounding women on their journey. She co-founded the Gulf Israel Women’s Forum, the Jewish Women’s Business Network, and she was awarded the Future Women Role Model Award in 2020 and 2019. She was nominated number 12 for her work at the London Stock Exchange Group and the UK Israel Bilateral trade Nexus in the Aliyah 100 List of the UK Jewish News. Voluntary roles include; Board Director of Vibe Israel, Sahi, Israel Bonds UK, and Athena Fund and she mentors parents of autistic children. She is a lucky mum of two lovely girls and a wonderful patient husband.
Noam Semel is a renowned cultural figure, the Director General of Habima, the National Theatre of Israel, and the founder and chairman of the Hanoch Levin institute for Israeli Drama. Semel is a known television and radio presenter, a moderator and public speaker and is widely regarded as one of Israel’s leading cultural icons.
Dr. Hila Oren is a city maker with a deep passion for urbanism and a vast experience in city making, marketing and branding. Prior to the Tel Aviv Foundation, Dr. Oren was the CEO and founder of Tel Aviv Global, an initiative started by the Mayor’s Office of Tel Aviv-Yafo, dedicated to elevating the city’s brand and global positioning. Dr. Oren is a board member of the Haifa Port, where she serves on the Executive Committee of Future Mobility and is a member of the Board of Directors of Amidar, the Daniel Rowing Center, the Tel Aviv-Yafo Academic College and the Advisory Board of the Charney Forum for New Diplomacy.
Jeff Rum is Founder & CEO of ignite, a brand and marketing agency that works with mission-driven organizations. An award-winning creative director and marketing strategist, Jeff has 20 years of experience in marketing and communication, brand strategy and digital fundraising. Prior to founding Ignite, Jeff served as President and Chief Marketing Officer at SPARK Experience, a user experience (UX) agency.
Jeff has led digital campaigns for major brands such as Bose, Fossil, PepsiCo, and Johns Hopkins Medicine. In addition, he has consulted on projects with nonprofit organizations including Human Rights Campaign, UN Foundation, and the Chaim Sheba Medical Center at Tel HaShomer. In 2014, Jeff served as a digital consultant with the Obama administration to launch My Brother’s Keeper, a public-private partnership to promote intervention by civic leaders in the lives of young men of color to address their unique challenges and to promote racial justice. In 2018, Jeff published his first book, Post with Purpose: A Digital Strategy Handbook.
As a volunteer, Jeff served as co-chair of National Young Leadership Cabinet of Jewish Federations of North America (JFNA) in 2017-18. Jeff currently serves on the Board of Directors of The Jewish Federation of Greater Washington. He also serves on the Board of Directors of GatherDC, a Jewish nonprofit that serves as the one-stop-shop for everything 20s and 30s need to live their best Jewish life. In 2015, Jeff completed the Zin Fellowship, a two-year leadership development program with Ben-Gurion University of the Negev.
Jeff received a B.A. from American University in Communication: Visual Media and Jewish Studies. He received his M.A. in International Studies from Georgetown University. ‘
Jeff resides in Potomac, Maryland with his wife Jessica and three children, Eva, Max, and Ori.
Michael Golden is the president of Golden Mean Strategies in Chicago. The author of Unlock Congress: Reform the Rules – Restore the System, he has served as a campaign manager and communications strategist on political races for the White House, U.S. Senate, and U.S. House of Representatives.
As a former broadcast journalist for NBC and CBS television affiliates in Illinois, Iowa, and California, Michael’s investigative reporting earned honors from the Associated Press, the Edward R. Murrow Awards, and the Society of Professional Journalists. Now an opinion journalist, his commentary has been featured in The Washington Post, New York Daily News, Wall Street Journal, Chicago Tribune, NPR, PBS, FOX News, NBC, WGN and other national media outlets.
In 2006 Michael co-founded One Million Degrees, a nonprofit scholarship program that has empowered thousands of low-income community college students to graduate and launch careers. Michael serves as a Senior Fellow at the Adlai Stevenson Center for Democracy and he is a former fellow at the Open Society Institute and Center for American Progress. In 2010, he was selected by the Illinois General Assembly and appointed by the Governor to serve on the state’s Commission to Eliminate Poverty.
Michael has served as the Associate Director and Board member at the Anti-Defamation League. He also helps nonprofits that are focused on teaching the lessons of the Holocaust.
Dr. Kobi Inbar Has over 25 years of extensive entrepreneurial, managerial, R&D and business experience, working with both startups and investors in the life sciences and bio-medical industry. Dr. Inbar served as the CEO of TK Signal and was the VP Operations for Peptor. Prior to that, he served as the VP R&D at ProCognia (formerly GlycoData) and Head of the Drug Discovery Unit at Collgard Biopharmaceutical. Currently, Dr. Inbar serves as a V.P. R&D at Stockton Group, an Israeli innovative Agribio company that operates globally.
In his rich and multifaceted academic career, Dr. Inbar was the Academic Director of the Bio-Medical MBA Program at the Business School, The College of Management Academic Studies, Rishon LeZion, Israel. Currently, Dr. Inbar holds a double-position as a Senior Lecturer at the Det. of Economics and Business Management, the Faculty of Social Sciences and Humanities, Ariel University and at the Department of Industrial Engineering and Management, Azrieli College of Engineering, Jerusalem, where he has been recently appointed as the Head of MA Program of Technological Entrepreneurship.
Dr. Inbar is an Associate Lecturer in the BioMedical MBA Program, The Jerusalem School of Business, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem; School of Business Administration and The International School at Haifa University.
Dr. Inbar is the Head of eHealth Ventures Physician-Entrepreneurs Acceleration Program. He is an active member of The Forum for Education of Engineers In the 21st Century – The Samuel Neaman Institute for National Policy Research, The Technion, Israel. He is a member of the forum of the entrepreneurship and innovation centers in institutions of higher education, managed by the Council for Higher Education in Israel.
Dr. Inbar published many scientific and academic papers in top-tier journals and he is a highly sought-after lecturer in his fields of expertise.
Dr. Inbar holds a Ph.D. in Biochemistry and Microbiology from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, as well as an MBA degree from the EMBA Program of the Arison School of Business, the Interdisciplinary Center in Herzliya.
