Inheritance battles among Israel’s wealthiest families, and how they could have been

The founding generation built the business, but what happens when control passes to the next generation — and later to the grandchildren? Behind every billionaire and millionaire in Israel stands a family. Some belong to the generation that helped build the state and, as they grow older, are passing the baton to the second and third generations — their children and grandchildren. Naturally, the number of people with control over the business grows, creating no shortage of internal family disputes that have turned into battlegrounds and led to the loss of fortunes or the breakup of families. Among the causes are conflicting interests among those who control the company and poorly managed succession. One study on the subject, conducted by the Williams Group, followed 3,200 wealthy families over 20 years and found that 70% had lost their wealth by the second generation and 90% by the third.