BOG 2024: Honoring Economic Resilience

Israel’s south has suffered immensely in many ways, including economically, as a result of October 7th. To honor the resilience of Gaza Envelope communities, Tel Aviv University awarded this year’s Hugo Ramniceanu Prize in Economics to three businesses from the area: the Be’eri Printing Press, Hevel Ma’on Enterprises, and Mandelboim Mattresses. The awards were conferred in an emotional ceremony during the University’s 2024 Board of Governors meeting. The Ramniceanu Prize, created by the late businessman and founder of the TAU French Friends Association Hugo Ramniceanu in 1987, recognizes economic achievements which benefit the State of Israel and its people.  

Mr. Ramniceanu’s daughter Dr. Monique Barel and his grandchild Mr. Francis Barel also took part in the ceremony. Dr. Barel spoke about her father’s experience in World War II, and how after the war he had to restart his career from nothing in Paris. “The extraordinary behavior of the Gaza Envelope industries aligns completely with my father’s aim to recognize and celebrate Israeli Entrepreneurship through this Prize. We are honored to acknowledge their courage, their resilience, and their determination to overcome the hardship they encountered on that terrible day which we will never forget.” 

The winners of the 2024 Ranmiceanu Prize: 

The Kibbutz Be’eri Printing Press was established in 1950 as one of the first print houses in the Negev. It continues to be a very prominent business in the region as the only printer of Israeli drivers’ licenses as well as serving other major companies. Kibbutz Be’eri suffered immense losses on October 7th and the whole kibbutz was evacuated, yet amazingly, the print house was already running again on October 15th.  

Hevel Ma'on Enterprises is the main marketer of agricultural products for the 14 kibbutzim of the Eshkol region. On October 7th, many of the kibbutzim were seriously damaged and the foreign workers they relied on fled. Farmers were for many months unable to access crops in the fields—a serious problem when agricultural is the main source of income for most of these communities.  

The Mandelboim Mattresses factory was founded in 1932 in Sderot.  The company had a turnover of 53 million shekels in 2023 but would have exceeded NIS 60 million if not for the October 7 attacks and ensuing war. It was particularly affected because local employees were evacuated and because Palestinian employees’ ability to enter Israel was affected by the heightened security due to the war and uptick in terrorism.