About Raya Strauss Ben Dror
נשיאה ומייסדת ‘רוח הגליל’
Raya Strauss Ben Dror
President and founder of “Spirit of the Galilee”
Raya sees herself as continuing in the footsteps of her parents, who chose to immigrate to the Land of Israel as pioneers and Zionist Jews.
The goal of social entrepreneurship is to raise the quality and standard of living in the Western Galilee.
"
My parents did not come to the Land of Israel for me to give it up. We must do everything
we can”
biography
Raya Strauss Ben Dror, a philanthropic social entrepreneur and businesswoman, was born in Nahariya.
Her parents, Dr. Richard and Hilde Strauss, immigrated to Israel in 1936 as Zionist pioneers in the Fifth Aliyah, along with their son Michael Strauss, and they were among the founders of Nahariya. They became farmers and raised diverse field crops. Furthermore, two cows grazed on their property.
Over time, the number of cows increased, and with them, the milk yield as well. Hilde, who was known as an excellent cook, began manufacturing various dairy products from the surplus milk, which were sold by the Strauss couple along with the field crops, to the residents of Nahariya and the British soldiers in the region. This infrastructure brought forth the Strauss Dairies in Nahariya.
Raya Strauss studied at the Weizmann School in Nahariya and at the Theoretical High School in the city. She was one of the leaders of the “United Movement” Group (“Gar’in”) in Nahariya as well as an apprentice and a boat commander in the “HaPoel Nahariya Flotilla” (“HaYamiya”). Raya studied Diploma Studies at the University of Haifa within the fields of Marketing, Business Management and Spokesmanship.
Subsequently, she specialized in Family Business Studies at the Kellogg University in the USA. Furthermore, she specialized in Business Social Responsibility (BSR) Studies – Corporate Social Responsibility, in Canada, a curriculum that was launched by the Gaspé Beaubien Foundation.
”For many years I have been active within social fields, I contributed and promoted, yet this has not been an involvement in significant national processes. The murder of Yitzhak Rabin of blessed memory, made me realize that I must descend from the stands onto the field and begin doing more”
Raya Strauss Ben Dror
President and founder of “Spirit of the Galilee”
1995
Business Activities
Business Activities
Between 1965 and 2005, Raya Strauss Ben Dror shared the ownership of “Strauss” with her brother Michael Strauss, and was part of its Senior Management and Board of Directors.
Raya and Michael were leaders to a series of important strategic moves, after having formulated a vision for the Company. These moves turned “Strauss” into a leading international company and promoted it to the forefront of the food market in Israel and worldwide. Among others, partnership agreements were signed with major companies such as Unilever, Danone and PepsiCo-Frito Lay, and the ownership of the Elite Company was acquired. Moreover, Strauss Ben Dror led substantial processes related to social accountability and entrepreneurship.
Among these, strengthening the Company’s contributions and social activities as well as the process of assimilating “Israel is Beautiful” within the Organization, which determines environmental protection standards among production plants and organizations. As part of her activities in “Strauss”, Raya initiated the formation of the first Social Report of a business company in Israel.
Together with her brother, Raya established “Strauss Investments (1993) Ltd.” , that was engaged in investments in Israel and abroad. Likewise, she served as the Company’s Co-President with him until he passed away. Furthermore, Strauss Ben Dror owns her own investment company and she has invested, among others, in companies such as Acro Real Estate, B.S.R. and several private investment funds.
Following the merger of “Strauss” with “Elite” in 2005, Raya decided to leave “Strauss” and sell all her shares in the Company. Since then, she has been devoting most of her time to philanthropic activities and social entrepreneurship in Israel.
Prizes and Awards
2019
The Rappaport Prize – a lifetime achievement award for an inspiring woman, for groundbreaking work by a woman for societal change in Israeli society, was awarded to her in March 2019.
2017
The “Key to the City of Ma'alot-Tarshiha” award, a distinguished service award for working and developing the City’s urban planning – was awarded to her in September 2017.
An Honorary Doctorate Degree from the Tel Aviv University in 2017.
2016
"The President’s Volunteer” Award for Hebrew Year 5766 – 2016, was awarded by the President to those who were engaged in promoting the understanding, dialogue, tolerance and partnership between diverse groups in Israeli society.
2015
The “Exemplary Social Activity” Award on behalf of the Israeli National Volunteering Council and the Sderot Conference in 2015.
2014
An Honorary Doctorate Degree from the Bar Ilan University in 2014.
2011
Honorary Doctorate Degrees from the Ben Gurion University of the Negev and the Interdisciplinary Center Herzliya (currently the Reichman University) in 2011.
2010
Lighting a torch on Israel’s 62nd Independence Day in 2010.
2008
The “Key to the Mateh Asher Regional Council” award in 2008.
She has been privately supporting for many years significant social organizations and two realities while focusing on 3 main areas of action: activities to promote social responsibility | The unity of the Jewish people Providing an opportunity to young people and teenagers at risk
“Aharai” (Follow Me)
The Shanti House
Beit Lohamei HaGeta’ot (The Ghetto Fighters&...
HaShomer HaChadash (The New Guard)
The Kibbutz Contemporary Dance Company
Keshet Ayalon
Bicycle Tourism in the Western Galilee
Woman of the Galilee
With Raya’s initiative, the first attempt to promote a regional quantum leap in Israel was carried out. It was clear to Raya that the first region where a quantum leap should be promoted was the Western Galilee – her birthplace and domicile. The message is unequivocal: “We must take care of ourselves, there is no one else to take care of us”.
She began promoting tourism. After all the regional officials casted doubt on the potential of this field, Raya established a tourism venture by herself and using her own funds, which was joined by hundreds of business owners. The project that was called “Treasures of the Galilee”, became a resounding success and the entire region turned into a renowned and visited tourist destination with the addition of revenues of hundreds of millions of NIS and thousands of workplaces.
The next stage saw the establishment of the “Spirit of the Galilee” Project (people leading growth and change), aimed at harnessing the regional leaders with the process of creating a vision, enhancing the collaborations between them and assisting all the members to undertake the realization of this vision in an optimal manner. The process was joined by 180 participants who were divided into work teams that prepared action plans in a variety of fields.
Raya has since continued her activities for promoting inclusive growth in the Western Galilee through investments in the fields of health, education, employment and culture.
Long-Standing Work for the Community and Society
Raya has been privately supporting diverse social organization for many years, and in most cases she is also one of their founders. Most of her activities in recent years have focused on the Western Galilee as aforementioned, the region where she was born and where she currently resides. Among others, she supports “Keshet Ayalon”, the Kibbutz Contemporary Dance Company, in which she serves as a patron, the Beit Lohamei HaGeta’ot (The Ghetto Fighters’ House) museum and the Galilee Medical Center, where she also serves as President of its Friends Association.
At the initiative of Raya Strauss Ben Dror, the Galilee Medical Center was assigned for a national pilot project (that was carried out in cooperation with the Ministry of Health and the National Initiatives Philanthropic Corporate Fund) aimed at reducing infections in hospitals. The Medical Center incorporated in the project the experience it has gained following the treatments it provided to hundreds of wounded people from Syria, who brought with them unknown bacteria resistant to conventional hospital medications. The participation of the Medical Center in the pilot project led to a decline of more than 50% in the scope of infections, significantly better results than those attained at the Sheba Medical Center, which concurrently partook in the pilot project.
Together with the Chairman of the Friends Association, Michael Iluz, Raya initiated holdingf an international conference regarding the issues of war trauma and injuries for the first time. The conference took place in October 2018 and included experts from Israel and from abroad who came to hear about the unique experience that has been accumulated at the Galilee Medical Center.
In addition to her extensive activities in the Western Galilee, Raya is active in diverse social organizations in Israel, while placing an
emphasis on two areas:
1. Providing opportunities for youths and at-risk youth
Supporting the Shanti House – a home intended for homeless youths that has taken care of more than 40,000 youngsters since its establishment and demonstrates high success rates in their rehabilitation. 85% of the youths who resided at the Shanti House rehabilitated themselves and did not return to the streets.
The “Aharai” (Follow Me) Non-Profit Organization – a social educational non-profit organization that is engaged in developing young leadership and encourage social involvement among youths and young adults and hence influence their future through education. Every year the Organization mobilizes about 8,500 apprentices from more than 100 communities. The IDF recruitment rate of its graduates is 97% and 85% of the graduates graduate from high school with a matriculation certificate. After their military service, the Organization assists its graduates to integrate into the employment market.
“Heznek LaTa’asiya” (Startup to Industry) – a program that trains youths who failed in their theoretical studies, to find a profession, thanks to the training provided to them in industrial production plants. The program demonstrates high success rates in recruiting these adolescents to the IDF and absorbing them in industries after their military service.
2.Supporting activities designed to promote social accountability and leadership in Israel
Supporting the Reut Institute for Strategic Thinking – an institute engaged in strategic thinking and planning for the State of Israel and the people of Israel.
The Rabin Leadership Program – the social leadership program of the Interdisciplinary Center Herzliya (currently the Reichman University).
Raya was one of the founders of “Maala – Businesses Introducing Social Accountability” – business leadership for the community. The objective of the Organization is to measure and encourage the social contribution of the business sector in Israel.
Raya was one of the founders of “Midot – Ranking Effectiveness in Non-Profit Organizations” – for promoting the effectiveness of philanthropy in Israel.
With the purpose of encouraging and increasing private donors in Israel, which is lower than that customary worldwide, Raya has enlisted in the “Committed to Give” forum – an initiative of major private donors in Israel.
Raya has held a number of positions as part of the Jewish Agency’s partnership program
2006-2012
She served as Chairman of “Partnership 2Gether Nahariya – Northern New Jersey”.
2008-2012
Served as a member of the Board of Trustees of the Jewish Agency, as Chairman of all the Agency’s partnerships in Israel, and afterwards as Chairman of all the Agency’s partnerships throughout the world. In this role, she initiated the creation and writing of a joint vision with the communities and led the alteration of their name from “Partnership 2000” to “Partnership Together”.
Furthermore, Raya was one of the founders of the Israeli branch of JFN (Jewish Funders Network) – a network of Jewish donors from all over the world.
2015
Strauss Ben Dror established an institute for family business research at the Tel Aviv University (The Raya Strauss Center for Family Business Research) in which her daughter, Dr. Nava Michael-Tsabari serves as a researcher.
Raya Strauss Ben Dror – woman of the Galilee, leads a quantum leap process in the Western Galilee alongside a broad involvement in diverse social organizations in the State of Israel.
