Shari Arison needs a lot of daring to launch something today that is so fantastic, spiritual, unintelligible, and alien from the current Israeli experience. Yet, the need is obvious and insistent: “The Essence of Life” non-profit association, under the slogan “Peace begins within me”.
“This is the most important event of life, except for my marriage and the birth of my children,” writes Arison. “Everything I have done until now was directed toward this day.”
Arison owns the controlling interest in Bank Hapoalim (LSE:BKHD; TASE:POLI) Housing and Construction Holding Co. (Shikun u’Binui) (TASE:HUCN), and Eurocom Communications. She is a shareholder in Carnival Cruise Lines (NYSE:CCL). Her assets are valued at an estimated $1.5-2 billion.
A year-long ad campaign today debuts on television, national and local radio stations, and billboards throughout Israel. “The Essence of Life” will work with children and youths in schools and children’s shows in collaboration with the Ministry of Education, adult workshops and seminars, companies and major organizations, websites, film clips, children’s books, and more.
The Ted Arison Family Foundation is a $400 million fund that includes private financing from the late Ted Arison, his wife Lynn, and their children Shari and Micky, who manages businesses overseas.
The Arison Foundation has donated $21 million this year. 65% of the donations are to large-scale projects, such as Arison Tower at the Tel Aviv Sourasky Medical Center (Ichilov Hospital), the Arison School of Arts, and the Arison School of Business at the Interdisciplinary Center, Herzliya. $2 million is designated for Israeli non-profit associations, $1 million for Matan (an affiliate of United Way International and the International Youth Foundation), and $4 million a year to “The Essence of Life”.
Published by Globes [online] - www.globes.co.il - on May 11, 2003