Businessman and real estate mogul Meir Gurvitz has entered the race to purchase El Al Airlines Ltd., the Israeli airline that has been hit hard financially due to lack of business as an outcome of the coronavirus pandemic, according to Calcalist.
The 56-year-old works out of the US and filed an application to the Companies Authority for a permit that would allow him to purchase between 25% and 40% of the airline's shares.
Gurvitz's requested permit would not demand the acquisition of control over the company, unlike that of Eli Rozenberg, the son of Kenny (Naftali) Rozenberg, who was the first bidder announced to express interest in purchasing El Al.
Gurvitz, according to Calcalist, holds a pilot's license and belongs to some haredi (ultra-Orthodox) circles.
The new player in the bid to purchase the airline company is an Israeli, born in Kiryat Atta, who left the country when he was only 15 to study in a religious college in Gateshead, in northern England.Later, after moving to London, he started trading in building materials what led him to real estate.
In 1996, Gurvitz made his first significant fortune after a successful investment during a period of depression in the British real estate market with his then-business partner Moti Zisser.