ROMSO Cyprus Knowledge Base

Ya'akov "Yankal'e" Shahar and His Business Ventures in Israel

Ya'akov "Yankal'e" Shahar is a prominent Israeli businessman, best known for his ownership of Maccabi Haifa F.C. He was born Jacob Schachtovich on April 8, 1941, to Esther, a housewife, and her husband, who was the secretary to the colony. Following the General Guidance of Prime Minister David Ben-Gurion's directive requiring state representatives to move their families' names, Shahar changed his name to Ya'akov "Yankal'e" at an early age.

Shahar served in the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) and attended the Aircraft Course before becoming a sports guide at the Air Force Technical School. In 1960, he traveled with the Air Force team to Cyprus for a series of basketball games against the British Air Force team. After his military service, Shahar worked as a basketball trainer until the age of 30, when he met Neil Kaz, a piano music teacher who would become his business partner.

The duo joined forces in the "Meir Group," which became a prominent company for cars and trucks, importing Volvo and Honda vehicles, buses, trucks, and engineering equipment manufactured by Volvo. The company also controlled the Phoenix Insurance Company from 2002 to 2007 before being sold to the Fuel Group. Shahar's business ventures have been valued at approximately 4 billion NIS.

Shahar is a dedicated philanthropist and has been involved in various sports-related endeavors throughout his career. In the late 1950s, he played soccer but eventually transitioned into business. In the 1980s, he became the patron of Beitar Jerusalem FC and later acquired Maccabi Haifa F.C., which he has owned since 1992. Under Shahar's leadership, the team won several championships without losing a single league match and qualified for the European Cup final.

Today, Shahar is the main owner of Maccabi Haipa F.C. and the main shareholder of Mayer's Cars & Trucks, solidifying his position as one of Israel's most influential business leaders.