Departures of note

Shmuel Harlap was one of Israel's most prominent and influential business figures, serving as chairman of Colmobil, the country's largest vehicle importer. Under his leadership, the family company secured the Mitsubishi franchise in 1988 and Hyundai in 1994, transforming a small auto importer into the dominant player in the Israeli market, later expanding into energy, recycling, and real estate.

Born in 1944, Harlap earned bachelor's and master's degrees from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem and a doctorate in philosophy from Harvard University, specializing in Platonic philosophy. He lectured in political science at the Hebrew University in the late 1970s before joining the family business in the early 1980s.

Harlap was an early investor in Mobileye, helping the autonomous-driving company grow and connecting it with major global automakers; his stake was valued at roughly $1 billion when Intel acquired the firm. He also invested in other ventures, including the Israeli eVTOL developer AIR.

Alongside his wife Anat, Harlap made some of the largest philanthropic donations in Israel's history, including a record approximately 600 million NIS gift to Rabin Medical Center for a new heart and brain center, and a $10 million donation to the Weizmann Institute. He was also a prolific writer and public commentator on economic, social, and political affairs, and an avid marathon runner.