Elyakum Ostashinski

Lore & Background

Ostashinski was born in Petah Tikva to parents who were pioneers of the First Aliyah. After graduating from Herzliya Gymnasium in Tel Aviv, he studied agriculture at the University of Toulouse in France, then went to Algeria to focus on growing citrus and cotton. In 1930 he returned to Mandatory Palestine and worked as a winemaker in a winery in Rishon LeZion. A year later he went to Italy, where he received a doctorate in agronomy.

Upon returning to Rishon LeZion, Ostashinski took on multiple administrative roles: director of the agricultural department of the Farmers Association, director of the department of rehabilitation grower Citrus Marketing Board, chairman of the Rishon Lezion branch of the Association of colonies, branch chairman of the Association of Rishon Lezion, member of Maccabi Eretz Israel, and member of an organization headquarters defense. In 1946 he was elected mayor of 'local' Rishon Lezion, serving until 1951; during his last year in office, Rishon Lezion was declared a city.

Starting in 1953, Ostashinski directed the Vineyard Association, the controlling shareholder in Carmel Winery, and held this position for about thirty years. His leadership at the Vineyard Association placed him at the center of Israel's wine industry during a period of significant growth and consolidation.

Reader's Guide

Elyakum Ostashinski's significance lies in his dual legacy as the first mayor of Rishon LeZion and as the long-time director of the Vineyard Association, the entity that controlled Carmel Winery. As mayor from 1946 to 1951, he oversaw the transition of Rishon LeZion from a local council to a declared city in his final year in office, marking a milestone in the community's development. His earlier work as a winemaker in a Rishon LeZion winery in 1930 gave him direct experience in the trade before he moved into agricultural administration.

His most enduring impact came through the Vineyard Association, which he directed from 1953 for approximately thirty years. As the controlling shareholder in Carmel Winery, the Association was a central force in Israeli winemaking. Ostashinski's agronomy doctorate from Italy and his background in citrus and cotton cultivation informed his approach to agricultural management. His career thus connected the practical work of winemaking with the institutional structures that shaped the industry, from the Farmers Association and Citrus Marketing Board to the municipal governance of a growing city. The combination of local political leadership and long-term stewardship of a major wine enterprise makes him a notable figure in the history of Israeli wine.

Did You Know?

• Ostashinski studied agriculture at the University of Toulouse in France and later earned a doctorate in agronomy in Italy.
• He worked as a winemaker in a winery in Rishon LeZion in 1930, a year before pursuing his doctorate.
• During his last year as mayor (1951), Rishon LeZion was declared a city.
• He directed the Vineyard Association, the controlling shareholder in Carmel Winery, for about thirty years starting in 1953.