Efraim Ilin
Efraim Ilin (1912–2011) was an Israeli tycoon and security expert. He founded Kaiser in Israel.
Early life
Ilin was born in Kharkov, Ukraine. He grew up with Zionist upbringing and spoke Hebrew from the age of 6. In 1925 his family emigrated to Israel, settling in Ness Ziona. Ilin studied at the Herzliya Hebrew Gymnasium. In 1934 he married his wife Ziporah.
Security career
In 1938 Ilin was drafted by Avraham Stern to volunteer in the Irgun. He worked with Stern and David Raziel who was one of its founding members. In 1948, together with Ehud Avriel, Ilin, who was then living in Milan, negotiated a deal with Czechoslovakia to supply arms for the IDF. In 1948 Ilin also negotiated an arms equipment deal with Levi Eshkol and the Yugoslavians on behalf of the Mossad.
Financial career
In 1945 Ilin helped Max Cukier and Avram Goldstein to contract to buy Egyptian cotton to be spun in Italy for re-export to Palestine and became their junior partner.
In 1948, after the founding of the State of Israel, the Henry Ford Motor Company sought to invest in Israel and facilitate the large number of vehicles it would need for the military and government. After threats of boycotts from the Arab nations, Ford backed down.
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