Israeli high-tech pioneer Zohar Zisapel passes away at 74

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Zohar Zisapel, one of the founders of Israel’s high-tech industry, died on Saturday at the age of 74 after a long battle with cancer. In the 1980s, Zisapel, together with his brother Yehuda, founded the RAD Group, which at its peak included more than 20 independent high-tech companies, most of them in the field of computer communications. Among the companies were RAD Data Communications, Radware, Radwin, RADCOM, Silicom Connectivity Solutions and Ceragon Networks.

Zisapel has also privately invested in many companies, mainly in the autonomous vehicle, cybersecurity and medical research industries in recent years. Among the companies he has invested in are Wiz, Adallom, Talon Cyber ​​Security, Argus, Innoviz and others.

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Zohar Zisapel.

(Photo: Orel Cohen)

Along with his brother Yehuda, Zohar Zisapel has contributed to various non-profit organizations, technology research and the promotion of Israeli high technology. About a year ago, the two received the highest award bestowed by the Technion, for “the work of a lifetime for the Technion and for a contribution to the progress of humanity, the well-being of the Jewish people and the State of Israel.” The Technion’s announcement states that the prize was awarded for “being one of the pillars of the Israeli startup nation … for their educational, social and philanthropic activities, focused on caring for young men and women of the periphery and promoting the excellence in Israeli education.”

Signs of illness were already visible to Zisapel at last year’s ceremony, and in an interview with Calcalist – conducted with him just last week and not yet published – he briefly commented on his condition: “I am ill and I don’t hide it. Cancer and I are even, I didn’t beat it and it didn’t beat me. I don’t recommend this disease.” When asked if he considers himself the father of high-tech in Israel, he replied: “High-tech has many fathers. Some of them are very young, such as the entrepreneurs of Wiz, Armis and others. This is the strength of industry, and even the current government, despite the damage it has caused, will not be able to kill it.”

During the interview, Zisapel made extensive reference to the consequences of the judicial reforms proposed by governments on local high technology, and in particular to the tendency of entrepreneurs to register their businesses abroad. “It is concerning that the new Israeli companies are registered in Delaware, in the United States, and not in Israel,” she said. “This will cause damage for many years to come and it is all the result of government actions. Today’s young people are not what we used to be, they are more international, more flexible, they have no problem living in the United States. It is more difficult to build on Zionist sentiment, that’s why I’m afraid.

“I was active in the 1990s when investors pressured us to register companies overseas and not in Israel. They also demanded American CEOs and all kinds of nonsense like that. It took some time for investors gained confidence in Israeli companies and Israeli leaders. What is happening now takes us back 20 years.”

Asked if he believes the situation is reversible, Zisapel replied: “It’s not reversible in a year or two, maybe in 20 years, because there is a loss of confidence. It’s a very dangerous process. I think Netanyahu understands that. The other politicians pushing for reform do not understand at all the damage they cause. I am amazed at the stupidity and audacity of the politicians, who do not understand what they are doing. They follow the same line – and they don’t care how much destruction they cause. But the address for complaints is the Prime Minister He is the one who came up with all this.

Zisapel also spoke about the importance of education for narrowing gaps and social leadership: “My father had a shoe shop and my mother helped him in the shop. They came to Israel before the Holocaust and the family that remained in Poland is wiped out “My father worked in his sister’s shoe shop, until he opened his own shop. As children, Yehuda and I worked in his shop, but our parents constantly insisted that we study. They didn’t tell us what to study, but it was very important to them. If there is one message for all Israelis who feel they have been deprived, it is to make sure their children learn and don’t have to talk about deprivation.”

Many in the high-tech industry have paid tribute to Zisapel, including the founders of companies he believed in, invested in, and accompanied along the way. Wiz and Adallom founders Assaf Rappaport, Yinon Costica, Ami Luttwak and Roy Reznik said, “Our hearts are broken to hear of the passing of Zohar Zisapel. He was the first believer in us in Adallom, and thanks to thanks to him it was possible to found Wiz, which has changed our lives for the better, not only thanks to his trust in us and his technological knowledge, but above all thanks to the enormous generosity he has shown in every field, to his boundless warmth and support, and the ability to give good advice at any time. It will be missed by the State of Israel, Israeli high-tech and each of us personally.

Roy Reznik expanded on his Twitter account and wrote, “When Adallom’s takeover offer came from Microsoft, we started talking to him about it. He interrupted us and asked, ‘But what do you want? I’ll help you any way you choose .’ There are enough newspaper articles about it and Wikipedia entries, but it’s hard to describe the huge heart, the desire to help – always calmly, always with a smile, always with unimaginable modesty about everything he’s accomplished.”

Entrepreneur and venture capital investor Dov Moran, who invented the key disc, said that “Zohar was an intelligent, practical, humble man in his own way, a pioneer. One of the first to understand electronics, the software and the potential of digital communication infrastructures.I have a short story that bears witness to the man.In 1993 I approached him to tell me from his experience how products like the ones we developed at M-Systems are sold in world markets. He was very honest. ‘Basically,’ he said, ‘I don’t know.’ But he gave some advice and was interested in us and the technology. When we went public that year, he also bought a significant portion of the IPO. He had a very good sense of what was going to happen and what was not. He was a wonderful man. How sad.

Omer Keilaf, founder and CEO of Innoviz, in which Zisapel was the first investor: “Zohar was a symbol in Israeli culture, as a founder of the high-tech industry, a man of many abilities and a philanthropist. He was a beacon and mentor to me, he trusted me and helped me a lot to establish Innoviz, and I will continue to develop the company so that he continues to be proud of us.Just last week I was in contact with him, to put him in touch with an entrepreneur at the beginning of his career».

Zisapel was also a legendary figure in IDF Unit 81, becoming the youngest head of the electronics department at the age of just 29. deeply saddened by the passing of Zohar Zisapel, one of the pillars of Israeli high-tech and the most important leader of Unit 81. Zohar has been a role model and a great inspiration for generations and generations of graduates of the unit, with his outstanding ability of leadership and personal example. Zohar has been a mentor to generations of entrepreneurs, giving young people help and advice based on his vast experience. He was our leader and we bow our heads and thank him for what he has given us and the entire industry, for his support for the unit and its graduates, and for his tremendous dedication to mission, whatever it may be. is “.

The full interview with Zohar Zisapel will be published on Wednesday, May 24 in the Calcalist supplement

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