There will be an investment conference held on March 12th at the David InterContinental Hotel in Tel Aviv. The conference provides a venue for the investment decision makers of insurance firms, provident funds, pension funds, continuing education funds, mutual funds, banks, large companies and other nostro managers to discuss current trends in the financial industry.

 both domestically and abroad. These organizations collectively manage more than US $350 billion (not including capital managed by CFOs of large cap companies).

Speakers include Adv. Amir Wasserman, Legal Counsel, Israel Securities Authority; Mr. Alan H. Dorsey, Managing Director and Head of Investment Strategy and Risk, Neuberger Berman; Mr. Aziz Unan, Managing Director, Head of Distribution and Public Relations, Renaissance Asset Managers; Ms. Galit Avishai, Founder and Executive Director, The Public Trust; Mr. Gilad Altshuler, Co-CEO, Altshuler Shaham Group; Mr. Giora Zarechansky, CIO, Amitim Pension Funds; Prof. Haim Levy, Dean, School of Business Administration, The Center of Law and Business; Mr. Haim Shani, Chairman of the Committee to Increase Competition in the Economy and Former Ministry of Finance Director General; Ron Hershco, GSE Analytical Research and Corporate Governance; Mr. Yair Lapidot, Co-CEO and CIO, YalinLapidot Investment House; Ms. Sophie Shulman, Deputy Editor, Calcalist; Ms. Sharon Shpurer, Haaretz The Marker Business Daily; Mr. Tim Matthews, Senior Fund Manager – QEP Investment Team, Schroders Investment Management Ltd.; Mr. Doron Shorer, President of the Sectoral Pension Funds Association and Former Capital Market Commissioner and Superintendent of Insurance, Ministry of Finance; and Mr. Gadi Sukenik – Conference Moderator.


SOURCE http://www.jewocity.com/blog/tel-aviv-institutional-investment-conference-in-march/7702

Israelis worldwide continue to be very active worldwide in the real estate industry.  Ron Hershco of Hershco Properties continues to search more for properties – and Africa Israel USA (AFI USA)  announced that they had closed on the sale of the Rialto Building, a landmark turn-of-the-century office and retail property situated in San Francisco’s South Financial District.

They are selling the nine-story building only six weeks after placing it on the market. The Rialto Building, boasts creative, open floor plans, high ceilings and abundant light. Originally built in 1902, the H-shaped Renaissance-style Revival building was designed by architects Meyer & O’Brien. After the great earthquake of 1906, the Rialto Building’s interiors were completely rebuilt, although, the exterior structure made of steel, brick and concrete was left intact.

Located at the intersection of Mission and New Montgomery streets, the Rialto Building is situated in the heart of the South Financial District, one block from both BART and the Transbay Terminal Redevelopment.

For real estate news follow Ron Hershco on Twitter at: https://twitter.com/RonHershco


SOURCE http://www.jewocity.com/blog/israelis-continue-activity-in-real-estate/7974

111 orphans celebrated their Bar Mitzvahs at the Western Wall in Jerusalem last week.

The first such gathering was held in 1992, when Colel Chabad initiated the mass Bar Mitzvah – as they first did so in 1992. This year marks the fifth group Bar Mitzvah of this kind – and 111 marks the 111 years since the Chabad-Lubavitch Rabbi was born.

The program continued at the International Convention Center in Jerusalem, followed at the Kotel with the laying of tefillin and their first time being called up to the Torah.The program was sponsored by many donors of Colel Chabad, including Ron Hershco, and is part of the Chesed Menachem Mendel Orphan Support Project which takes place throughout the year.

Each bar mitzvah boy also received clothing and new shoes – as they were given tefillin and talises with their names on it.  They also received matzoh for Passover, books, games, and gifts to give to their mothers. Attendees included members of the Knesset as well as important Rabbis, including Rabbi Binyomin Lipkin, Rabbi Sholom Duchman, Rabbi Mendi Blau, Rabbi Amram Blau, Rabbi Yitzhok Michaan; and others.

For nearly 225 years, said Rabbi Menachem Traxler of Colel Chabad, the agency has been doing “one thing and one thing only — providing meaningful material help to Israel’s poorest, regardless of age, gender, ethnicity or degree of religious observance.”

To become a supporter of Colel Chabad, as is Ron Hershco, please visit this supporter page for Colel Chabad: http://www.colelchabad.org/Supporter_Profile.bp


SOURCE http://www.jewocity.com/blog/111-orphans-have-bar-mitzvahs-at-western-wall/7988

The largest domestic airline in Israel, Arkia Israeli Airlines has announced a partnership with Discover the World Marketing to market Arkia in Finland, Germany, Norway and Spain.

“Europe is a major market for Israel, and naturally Arkia wants to expand into major European markets.  As the business and tourism market in Israel continues to grow, expect to see others follow Arkia’s move into Europe. The Israeli economy continues to expand and grow,” said entrepreneur Ron Hershco.

Discover the World Marketing works in marketing and public relations for clients to help them further expand markets.  More information is available at www.discovertheworld.com, or +44 207 107 2303.

SOURCE http://www.jewocity.com/blog/arkia-airlines-discover-the-world-marketing/8293

Whether a non profit like Kars for Kids, or someone like Ron Hershco who builds schools, it is key.

It’s a good feeling. The awesome thing about mentoring is the many ways in which the act of mentoring benefits the mentor. For one thing, when you get involved with mentoring others, you know for a fact that the time and effort you contribute to mentoring is never wasted. The fact that you’ve done a positive act can color your whole day and infuse it with meaning. It doesn’t end when your workday is done, but comes home with you and tints your relationships with family members with some of that same warm pink glow.

It’s immediate. There’s also the immediate reward you get from lifting the spirits of a depressed teenager, or in giving a bible lesson to a senior citizen. Watch that teenager get all bubbly. See that elderly person’s eyes alight with the knowledge that the brain is plastic, that he or she can still learn and contribute. How can a mentor help but get a lift from seeing his efforts bear fruit on contact?

Develop lifelong relationships. As you discover the talents and gifts of those you mentor, you might just find someone you’d like to hire to work in your organization or have on your team. Mentoring doesn’t have to end with the mentoring sessions but can be a lifelong process where you really build a mutually-beneficial solid relationship for the long term.

Mentors are mentored, too. Teachers are always quoted on how they learn from their students. The same is true of mentors. Mentors are learning on the job, being mentored even as they mentor. They learn what tack to take with each person they mentor. They learn what does and doesn’t work. They learn to listen. And they might just learn something about a different culture or find that the one being mentored has some pretty awesome stuff to give back, too.

In short, as is true of all good works, you get as good as you give. If mentoring is a good thing (and you know that it is), then mentoring is going to do you every bit as much good as it does for the one being mentored. Remember that when the going is rough and don’t give up.

The Jewish sages said that since Moses taught the children of his brother Aaron, it was as if he gave birth to them. Every person you mentor carries a bit of your philosophical DNA with him, and vice versa. In the end, building connections is what this life is all about.


SOURCE http://ronntorossianfoundation.com/uncategorized/the-benefits-of-mentoring-including-kars-for-kids-ron-hershco/

The Housing Authority swears up and down it has no plans to convert the Whitman/Ingersoll Houses into private condos. Why, then, have these rumors persisted?

First, as Ed Brown, the head of the Ingersoll Tenants Association, pointed out, public housing tenants have ample fodder for existential anxiety. They’ve watched their neighborhood transform into one of luxury condos, multi-million-dollar brownstones, and $3.25 lemonades. Where, exactly, are they supposed to fit in?

Then there’s another issue at play: the blogosphere. On Aug. 2, in a posting entitled, “What’s really going on at the Ingersoll Houses?” Brownstoner.com reported that Ron Hershco (developer of the luxury high-rise, the Oro) told a meeting of local real estate types at the Brooklyn Historical Society that the public houses would be converted to middle-income units.

Brownstoner’s report was picked up by other online outlets. As the saying goes, a lie can travel half way around the world before the truth gets its boots on. A couple of hours later, Brownstoner later posted a correction: “We just received the following statement from Ron Hershco’s attorney. ‘Ron answered the question based on what he had been told by Bob Scarano a couple of years ago. He has no current information regarding the Housing Authority’s plan. We apologize for any confusion.’

This isn’t the first time Brownstoner helped spark hysteria by failing to use the telephone. On July 27, it posted an article — “llegal paint job on landmarked block of Clinton Hill” — alongside a photo of a lovely brownstone partially painted white. The ensuing online uproar was deafening. Fortunately, the Daily News walked over to the house and asked its 82-year-old owner what was going on. It turned out the white substance was primer.

“Blogs sure got the word — the wrong word — out very quickly,” said Housing Authority spokesman Howard Marder, of the Whitman/Ingersoll Houses incident. The right word, according to Marder, is that the city has no plans to turn over the houses to private developers.

“I’ve been saying that for five years,” said Marder, in frustration. He’s been saying it ever since the city began a $150-million modernization of the buildings. The refurbishment of the apartments and their 61 elevators has necessitated moving residents out of their homes in stages. The city has promised tenants that they will return starting this fall.

Given the often-rocky relations between residents of public housing and the city, and the insane pace of development in the neighborhood, it’s no surprise that those being moved out are somewhat dubious.

The higher that anxiety level, the more incumbent it is upon us — professional journalists and citizen-journalists, — to at least try to discern the truth.

Dana Rubinstein is a staff reporter for The Brooklyn Paper


SOURCE http://www.brooklynpaper.com/stories/30/31/30_31whitmans.html

Brooklyn is really taking off and is amazingly hot – and it is funny that in many ways Ron Hershco of United Homes and some others who broke ground in downtown Brooklyn with a $400 million, two-tower project were the 1st ones – beating even world-renowned entrepreneur Jay Z to the area.

This week alone, there are presentations of ‘Videozones’ short videos by artists from Brooklyn and Montreal, curated by Boshko Boskovic and La Fabrique d’Expositions, to be held at Anthology Film Archives, 32, 2nd Avenue, New York. And its all the time, from art exhibits to the Brooklyn Nets.  In Year one alone there were major concerts – from Barbara Streisand to hip-hop, and yes the Nets will beat the Knicks.  Jay-Z and many others had concerts there.

Real estate pricing is soaring, retail is booming in the arena and its really a great thing for the area on so many fronts.

306 Gold Street and 313 Gold Street were the first ground-up residential high-rise projects built – and of course many new projects have followed after them.  Also designed by Ismael Leyva Architects, of course the ever-present charismatic Brooklyn Borough President was tremendously beneficial for the project.  Ron Hershco bought the land in 2005.

Brooklyn:  Onward & Upward!

SOURCE http://5wpr.net/ron-hershco-brooklyn-is-back/

New York-based developers Ron Hershco and Dean Palin, along with Brooklyn Borough President Marty Markowitz, have officially broken ground on a $400 million, two-tower project that will showcase the tallest new construction tower in Brooklyn.

Rising to 400 feet, 306 Gold Street, and its slightly smaller sister building, 313 Gold Street, are the first ground-up residential high-rise projects underway following the approval of the Downtown Brooklyn Plan in 2004, which rezoned the area to permit larger residential as well as commercial developments.

"306 Gold Street and 313 Gold Street will completely transform the urban streetscape of Downtown Brooklyn," stated Hershco. "The rezoning was a major step forward for Brooklyn and our projects mark the beginning of many extraordinary buildings that will rise in this neighborhood."

When completed in January 2008, 306 Gold Street will be a 400,000-square-foot tower topping out at 40 stories--making it Brooklyn's tallest new construction building. Designed by the award-winning architect, Ismael Leyva Architects, the glass and brick tower will feature 303 condominium homes ranging from studios to three-bedroom penthouses. A 50-foot lap pool, squash court, indoor basketball court, fully equipped fitness center and screening room are part of the deluxe amenities that will be offered at 306 Gold Street. The building will also feature 24-hour doorman and concierge services, and an on-site parking garage, as well as 10,000 square feet of commercial space.

Also designed by Ismael Leyva Architects, 313 Gold Street, a 250,000-square-foot tower, reaching 35 stories, with 214 condominium homes, is slated to begin construction in August 2006. The building will also feature a 50-foot lap pool, fully equipped fitness center and screening room. Demand for condominiums at the towers is expected to be brisk, due in large part to development's close proximity to many subway lines, bus routes and the LIRR, the BQE, and Manhattan and Brooklyn Bridges.

Sales for 306 Gold Street are expected to begin fall 2006, and occupancy is scheduled for late 2007. Plaza Construction Corp. will serve as construction manager for 306 Gold Street. Hershco purchased both parcels of land in February 2005 following the rezoning, which made downtown development friendlier to developers.

PUBLISHED IN: Real Estate Weekly DATE: April 12, 2006


SOURCE http://www.plazaconstruction.com/news/whats-new/fullstory/work-gets-underway-on-brooklyns-tall-towers

Yesterday Phil Bryant set off a hullabaloo when he answered a question about children’s’ literacy during a Washington Post Live discussion panel. The question was about how things got to this point: that so many children just aren’t that good at reading. The Mississippi governor responded that the problem of poor reading results from having both parents working, especially “Mom.”

Bryant knew right away he was saying something unpopular and said he knew he was going to be flooded with emails the next day.

It would be nice to say that Bryant is wrong about working mothers and literacy, since according to a recent Pew Research poll, women are the major breadwinners for 40% of families with children in the United States. That’s compared to just 11% of breadwinners back in 1960. That’s an astonishing figure on its own, irrespective of the effects of this arrangement on children. A few decades ago, no one could have conceived of a world in which so many women would be supporting their families.

It Depends

But what is the effect on mom not being home on kids and literacy? Could a working mother be a factor in a child’s literacy skills or lack of them? The answer? It depends.

It’s certainly critical for children to hear conversation, to partake in conversation, and to be read to prior to first grade. In fact, by the time a child reaches school age, he better have a pretty good handle on basic literacy skills if good academic outcomes are to be expected. In the years before school, a child needs someone to play rhyming games with him and he needs to hear the cadence of speech in all its most interesting forms. When Mom plays, “This Little Piggy” with baby, it’s not just about having fun. It’s about developing literacy skills.

That said it doesn’t have to be Mom playing the games. It could be Dad. It could be a grandparent. It can be any caring adult.

Mother Child Bonding

What about a preschool teacher? In theory, there’s no reason on earth why a warm preschool teacher, devoted to her work, couldn’t further her charges’ literacy skills. Of course, that’s not the same as having the mother-child bonding thing as an aid to teaching verbal and other literacy skills, but it should do the trick nicely.

The bottom line is that Mom doesn’t have to be afraid to be out there in the workplace for the sake of putting bread on the table, as long as her child is in a suitable environment during the time that Mom is at work. It doesn’t hurt to have extra support, whether its an afterschool program sponsored by Kars for Kids, or a program funded by the Bill Gates Foundation, reading events like those held at Ron Hershco schools, or reading at a public library.

Kids need all the help they can get. And it doesn’t have to be from Mom.


SOURCE http://everything-pr.com/working-moms-and-literacy/243062/

This week's nominee for the Real Estate Developers Hall of Fame is Ron Hershco. The unwitting developer spent $1.6 million for a plot of land in Queens where he planned to develop new condos. Turns out the spot is the reputed burial site for, uh, special friends of the Gambino Family. A frenzied FBI dig for bodies is underway, reports the Post, but that won't stop the developer, who "still hopes to build 17 three-family homes on the property and peddle them for $500,000 a pop."

SOURCE http://ny.curbed.com/archives/2004/10/06/welcome_to_gambino_pines.php