David Federman, a Maccabist from Birth

David Federman, one of the owners of Maccabi Tel Aviv Basketball Club and a key figure in the club’s rise to European greatness, has passed away.

David Federman was a Maccabist from birth. He was born on September 24, 1944, in Tel Aviv, the son of Yitzhak Federman, one of the early players in Maccabi Tel Aviv’s youth basketball department. He studied in Tel Aviv, served in the Israeli Air Defense Command in the IDF, and was discharged with the rank of captain. He later studied economics at Tel Aviv University.

In 1966, David moved to London, first working as a broker on the rubber exchange, and later spending about a decade trading commodities, including work with the British company ED&F Man. In 1980, he returned to Israel with the capital he had accumulated and entered the management of the family business.

In the business sphere, one of the most notable chapters was his involvement with Elite. Together with ED&F Man, he acquired a controlling stake in the company, completed the takeover in 1987, and later served as chairman of Elite — which was the main sponsor of Maccabi for many years.

Federman was among the owners of Maccabi Tel Aviv Basketball Club and played an influential role in managing the club’s affairs for decades, a period during which the team won numerous titles — European championships, Israeli league titles, State Cups, and more.

In the 1990s, his name was also linked to Channel 2 franchise holder Reshet, where he served as chairman. Later, his and the Strauss group’s paths diverged around Elite. In the following decade, he led a takeover of Israel Petrochemical Enterprises and, through it, became a major investor in Bazan Group (Oil Refineries Ltd.).

Federman is survived by his wife, Irit, and his children Adi, Danny, and Tami. His daughter Shelly passed away in 2014. May his memory be a blessing.