Car racing
Nechama Bogin, <60> Chairman of the Real Estate Appraisers' Bureau
"It happened a few years ago when I came to the race track completely by accident. I discovered a fascinating and addictive world that simply does not allow you to take your foot off the gas. The addiction to the adrenaline rush of the track is for me a great complement to a busy schedule full of documents and hours of hearings in the courts and various Knesset committees. The connection between the two worlds allows me to connect body and mind, and all this improves my abilities in the world of my professional career as well."
Nechama Bogin takes the hobby seriously and leaves dust for the other drivers, most of whom are men. Since taking to the track, she has won numerous competitions including the Israeli Racing Championship in 2019-2021.
Tzachi Sufrin, Private Photography,
Full distance triathlete
Tzachi Sufrin <41> Vice Chairman of the Board of Directors of Sufrin Group
"Playing sports is part of self-definition: 'Tell me what sport you do, and what your level of investment and intensity is – and I'll tell you who you are.'
One of the most common questions I have been asked in recent years is: "How do you manage to do all this?", that is, how do I combine being a controlling shareholder in a successful real estate company with being an iron man, since anyone who knows the meaning of the hobby I have chosen and my professional role, understands that they require many hours of work and investment. So I smile and tell them that my intensive involvement in the triathlon industry contributes to my professional and interpersonal abilities as a company owner. The two hats I deal with require weekly planning and a clear agenda, defining and executing short and long-term goals and tasks, constant striving for excellence, achievement, adherence to a goal, a lot of patience, and most importantly – the ability to cope with crises.
Moreover, being a triathlete at full distance has a direct connection to the real estate industry in Israel. For example, the average duration of a real estate project is between 5-7 years, during which the project experiences ups and downs, successes and difficulties. I see a building before my eyes, but I know it will take a long time before I actually see it. There is enthusiasm and motivation, along with problems and bureaucracy. Professionalism, knowledge, experience and patience are required. We usually break down the large project into small stages, so that we can deal with any problem that arises in the best possible way. This is similar to any Ironman competition that lasts between 10 and 16 hours of swimming, cycling and running marathons. It cannot be overcome without focusing on the various industries separately, but with full integration between all three – just like multi-system planning or as we know it as a superposition."
Yossi segmented in riding training. Photography - Private album,
MEMBER OF THERUBILIFE CYCLING GROUP
Yossi Felach <51> Deputy General Counsel, Chief Legal Counsel of Africa Israel Residences:
"Apart from the fact that sport is the foundation for a healthier life, physically and mentally, it presents me with challenges that meet me in my work as a board member of a leading company. For several years I have been a member of the RUBILIFE cycling team led by coach Zohar Rubin, which trains 3-4 workouts a week, after which I am sharp and full of energy.
The self-discipline and perseverance that playing sports requires are a significant and important layer for the way you cope with the tasks that encounter you during your occupation as a manager. In road riding, we ride in a dynamic platoon, where one pair is in the lead at a time and the rest enjoy its effort. In Plato, which works correctly, the strong strengthen the group, but also strengthen it, a picture similar to our daily conduct in society.
As a company management, we are a team that handles many tasks and use each other's abilities in group work. Everyone leads in their own points of expertise, and enjoys the work of others in their areas of expertise. Such conduct allows us to move quickly and efficiently, over time, and from time to time also increase when necessary."
Moshe Raz Cohen Photo:Shimi Bar,
Off-road riding singles
Moshe Raz Cohen,<57> Adv. Partner Raz-Cohen,Prashkar
& Co.
How did someone known to be prominent in real estate enforcement find himself in a hobby, a type of motorsport that is also controversial by environmental activists?
We asked Moshe Raz Cohen, 57, co-attorney Raz-Cohen, Farshkar & Co. A real estate expert who devotes every weekend to off-road riding to taste a little of the unusual sport he has turned into a hobby, and how does it relate to real estate?
"The hobby started over 20 years ago on asphalt tracks. Ironically, in my role as Attorney General to the National Building Supervision Unit, I initiated the demolition of an illegal motorcycle track. And that's just when I got into riding. The track was demolished because it was built without a permit, and later I became a close friend of the owner of the track that was demolished. In 2009 I participated in the Supermoto race on the new track set up by him in Nachshonim. I got to get to the podium. It was exciting, but over the years I was drawn to off-road riding, which requires physical fitness at a level I haven't found in any other sport."
"Contrary to popular belief, we riders are careful not to leave the singles. The singles are unregulated and do not overlap with those of cyclists, as the route must be much more challenging, and still, the rigor is in our psyche. The connection to nature, the thrill of riding, fitness, and the camaraderie of riders all make this hobby special. If at the end of the ride the body is not completely disassembled, it is impossible to properly enter the weekend."
"Every human encounter with nature harms the environment. Injuries should be minimized to a minimum. Almost all off-road motorcyclists, most of whom I know personally, are aware of environmental values. When environmental consumers are aware of the need to preserve it, they become ambassadors of conservation."
Yishai Roth Self-Photography,
Two hours a day for sports
Yishai Roth <46> VP Marketing and Business Development at Shoval Group
"About 7 years ago, I came to the conclusion that the combination of work stress and weight is not fate. My lifestyle, which involves work stress and long hours, doesn't justify being overweight, and I have to take my health into my own hands. The more you come into contact with people from the industry, the more you realize that this is both possible and right from a business perspective, not just health. The lifestyle change not only didn't come at the expense of work, but made me a better professional. I started running 3 times a week at 5:20 a.m. and even training with groups until I was able to run a half marathon. In addition, for the past two years I have been combining running with working out in the gym, with the help of a personal trainer. So on the day I don't run, I go to the institute. In total, I devote two hours a day to sports and have already lost 36 kilos of my body weight. It frees the mind and makes me feel great. I'm full of energy and it's easier for me to climb construction sites."
"You also have to admit that visibility is part of it. It's more pleasant to do business with healthy, fit people who are full of self-confidence thanks to their appearance. I try to catch up with everyone in the company. We encourage employees to stay fit and that's definitely something that's present at the trail."
Gal Castel wins the title of Outstanding Apprentice Photography – Family Album,
3rd dan black belt
Gal Castel, <52>, VP Urban Renewal at Oron Real Estate
For the past 17 years, Castel has specialized in various martial arts, the Dennis Survivor method – karate, judo, aikido, jiujitsu and self-defense. Even today, Gal continues to persevere despite facing younger trainees. He is persistent, sticks to the goal, and the most challenging thing for him is to take blows during training and combat on a regular basis.
Castel holds a 3rd dan black belt and throughout his years participated in the Israeli championship and picked up an honorable title.
"At the age of 41 I participated in the Israeli championship and won second place. Martial arts is much more than an intense sport. The challenge it poses gives many tools for life, such as control, self-discipline, respect for others, sticking to a goal and coping with any fear or challenge, and for me all these are an inseparable part of daily life. There is no doubt that these qualities are also reflected in my career in urban renewal, and require precisely these skills in order to succeed, cope with challenges and achieve desired results. In addition, sports and martial arts allow you to release energy, frustrations and difficulties on the mat and thus free your head after a demanding and busy workday."
Castel has been training for years at Dennis Survivor Rehovot, led by master trainer Eric Liram Abdoush (9th Dan). "Alongside my private family, and the Oron family that I have been part of for many years, Dennis Survivor Rehovot has long been not only an institute where I train, but a warm and cohesive family that I was privileged to be part of."
From the Dead Sea to Kilimanjaro
Tamir said <49> CEO of Hagag Group
Tamir Amar holds a title few can boast of – crossing more than 4,000 kilometers in official sports competitions.
Tamir, married to Ronit and father of three, has participated in about 30 marathons and 12 competitions, and holds the title of Ironman in Israel and around the world.
The Ironman competition consists of three tracks: 3.8 km swimming, 180 km cycling and for dessert a 42.2 km marathon. Thus, in a simple calculation, Tamir has so far completed more than 4,000 kilometers in official competitions and tens of thousands of kilometers in training.
Just last year, Tamir participated in the Dead Sea Land Race – the lowest marathon in the world, and another in the ultramarathon – a 50 km marathon, followed immediately by only a month apart in the Tel Aviv Marathon in the marathon. A few months earlier, he had climbed the summit of Kalimanjaro, Africa's highest mountain at 5,895 meters.
Tamir, who lives in Lehavim in the south, makes his way to the company's offices in Tel Aviv every day after sports practice, but for him sport is a hobby and a way of life, and despite the many competitions in which he participated, he did not make sports the center of his life, but placed family and work first and foremost.
Photo: Private,
All this over the course of a rich and varied career that included the position of CFO at the public company Revel (which he issued on the Tel Aviv Stock Exchange in 2007), the position of CEO at Forjet, which deals with nonwoven fabrics, in the communications market, where he held the position of CFO and Deputy CEO of the Partner Communications Group, and for the past six months has served as CEO of the Hagag Real Estate Group.
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