Dan David

Dan David was a Romanian-born Israeli businessman and philanthropist who founded the Dan David Prize.

1929 to 2011Founding the Dan David PrizePhoto-Me automated photo boothsPhilanthropy at Tel Aviv University

Born: 23 May 1929, Bucharest
Died: 6 September 2011, London
Occupation: businessperson

Dan David was born in 1929 in Bucharest

Dan David was born Dan Goldenthal in Bucharest, Romania, on 23 May 1929, the only son of Alfred, an engineer, and Elisa. In 1941 he was removed from his state school because he was Jewish. In 1944 he joined a Zionist youth movement.

He finished the Jewish high school in Bucharest and studied economics at the University of Bucharest. He then worked as a press photographer. After he asked to leave Romania for an assignment in West Germany, he was questioned by the Securitate about his Zionist activity and lost his job.

In 1960 he left Romania for Paris and then moved to Israel, where he took the surname David. With a $200,000 loan he gained Photo-Me International photo booth franchises in Israel, Italy, Spain and Japan. He later became chairman of Photo-Me.

In 2000 he set up the Dan David Foundation with $100 million. Its prize, based at Tel Aviv University, gave three $1 million awards each year. He died in London on 6 September 2011 and was buried in Kfar Shmaryahu.