Israel Rogosin

Israel Rogosin (March 15, 1887 - April, 1971) was an eminent american industrialist in the textile industry and a philantropist. Rogosin was born to Samuel Eliezer and Hanna in Valozhyn, then part of the Russian Empire (now in Belarus). His father came to the United States in 1890 upon request of the head of the Yeshiva in Valozhyn, the Netziv, in order to collect funds for it. Samuel Rogosin founded a small textile mill in Brooklyn in 1895 and was joined by his wife and four children a year later. Samuel decided to become a head of a Yeshiva and therefore left the mill management in Israel's hands, Israel was 16 years old then. The mill employed about 200 workers in 1912 and due to Israel's successful management and aquisition of other mills, Rogosin employed in 1920 about a thousand workers in five mills. The Beaunit Corporation was founded in 1921. Rogosin founded Rogosin Industries Ltd. in April 1956 as a rayon yarn and tow plant. Upon request of the Israeli finance minister then, Pinchas Sapir, the plant was moved in 1958 to the newly established town of Ashdod in Israel after the Israeli government supplied an area of 1000 dunams for its establishment. In 1963 Rogosin sold his shares in the Beaunit Corp.. At that time the company employed about 10,000 employees with an annual revenue of 150 million dollars. In 1966 Rogsin donated 1 million dollars to the establishment of a Center for Jewish Ethics in New York. Israel Rogosin passed away in Allenhurst, New Jersey. His only son Lionel, an independent American filmmaker, was born in 1924. The Rogosin Institute, a not-for-profit medical treatment and research institution for kidney disease, in New York city is named after Israel Rogosin. In addition, several towns in Israel have streets named after him as well as several high schools.

Israel Rogosin

May 3, 2010 / 19 Iyar 5770

The name Israel Rogosin appears almost everywhere in Ashdod, but few people in Israel are familiar with his story.

Several days ago, Michael Rogosin, grandson of the legendary philanthropist Israel Rogosin, came to Israel with his son, Elliot, to learn about his grandfather’s work.

Toward the end of the 1960’s, Israel Rogosin donated $2.5 million through the Jewish Agency’s Education Fund toward the construction of ten high schools throughout Israel. Two of the schools were built in the burgeoning city of Ashdod (which was formerly known as Ashdod-Yam), and they became the mainstay of secondary education in the city.

Israel Rogosin also built a textile factory in Ashdod, as well as a tire factory that was one of the largest of its kind in Israel at that time. In recognition of Rogosin’s philanthropic work, the leaders of Ashdod decided to name the city’s main thoroughfare after him.

Today, there is not a single resident of Ashdod who does not know the name Rogosin, but very few know the reason why the street was given this name. Even members of the Rogosin family knew very little about Israel’s involvement in the development of the Jewish State, and particularly the city of Ashdod.

Michael and Elliot therefore decided to visit Israel, to collect as much information as they could and to set up a memorial for their grandfather and great-grandfather.

Michael and Elliot visited the office of Mayor Yechiel Lasri, where they were greeted by the mayor’s wife who presented them with a bouquet of flowers. Fifty years ago, when she was eight years old, Mrs. Lasri presented a bouquet to Israel Rogosin when he visited Ashdod.

The mayor presented the guests with an album of pictures and newspaper clippings from the 1960’s where Israel Rogosin appears.

Later, Michael and Elliot visited two schools in Ashdod that are named after Israel Rogosin. They also walked along Rogosin Street in the center of the city, visiting the Jewish Agency Ashdod Absorption Center.

During their visit to the schools they met with students who expressed their gratitude to the Rogosin family for its contribution to the city and to the State of Israel.

The Rogosin’s were visibly impressed by the students they met, and thoroughly enjoyed the time spent with them. In all, Michael and Elliot enjoyed a special and rewarding experience, and they learned a great deal about their grandfather’s work. They also promised to continue their family’s unique relationship with the city of Ashdod.