Izek Shomof Of The Shomof Group.: I Am Living Proof Of The American Dream

An Interview With Jake Frankel

Motivation — Stay driven and motivated to achieve your goals. My journey to America was fueled by a strong desire to succeed and to create a better life for myself and my family. Despite facing challenges along the way, my motivation never wavered.

Is the American Dream still alive? If you speak to many of the immigrants we spoke to, who came to this country with nothing but grit, resilience, and a dream, they will tell you that it certainly is still alive. As a part of our series about immigrant success stories, I had the pleasure of interviewing Izek Shomof, founder and CEO of The Shomof Group.

One of the most successful commercial real estate developers in Los Angeles, Izek Shomof was Born in Tel Aviv, Israel. Shomof grew up surrounded by crime and violence — his brother operated an illegal casino frequented by the mob, and two of his cousins were among the most notorious bank robbers in the history of Israel. Determined to start anew, at age 14, Shomof left that world and immigrated to Los Angeles where he quickly set a goal to live the American Dream, because he believed that one can become successful no matter where they are from. His new autobiography, Dreams Don’t Die, follows his remarkable trajectory from restaurant proprietor at age 16, to eventually purchasing hi-rise buildings in downtown L.A and earning him the nickname, “The King of Spring.” Today, The Shomof Group owns and operates roughly 3 million square feet of office, retail, and industrial space, in addition to thousands of residential units.

Thank you so much for joining us in this interview series! Can you tell us the story of how you grew up?

I was born to a blue-collar, traditional family and raised in Tel Aviv, Israel. When I was around the age of 10, my older brother Jacob, together with my mother, opened a restaurant in our neighborhood in Tel Aviv. Less than a year later, Jacob, without the involvement of my mother, opened an illegal casino in the back of the restaurant. Most patrons came for the poker games. Unlike in Monte-Carlo or Las Vegas, it was a very small operation, with only 7 or 8 poker tables.

Unfortunately, nothing but trouble came out of this casino. Many fights broke out and even I was involved in one as a young teenager.

Was there a particular trigger point that made you emigrate to the US? Can you tell us the story?

Due to the troubles of the casino and other hardships we were experiencing in Tel Aviv, our family immigrated to America in 1973. I was fourteen years old.

Can you tell us the story of how you came to the USA? What was that experience like?

We landed in Los Angeles and rented an apartment in Van Nuys. Without speaking much, if not any, English, my family enrolled me in Van Nuys High School. A year later, we moved to Hollywood, and I was transferred to Hollywood High School. At the age of 16, I got my driver’s license. Shortly after, I was driving around Downtown Los Angeles and noticed an abandoned restaurant. I purchased the restaurant with the help of my parents and opened a successful burger joint. The burger joint was doing so well that I could not keep up with high school and dropped out. I ended up selling that restaurant for a nice profit and purchased another, then another. It was the beginning of my career as a real estate developer.

Is there a particular person who you are grateful towards who helped make the move more manageable? Can you share a story?

I cannot imagine moving to America and my success in America without my mother. I was and still am eternally grateful for her. When I was 14 years old in Tel Aviv, my brothers Abe and Jacob went to America to see what it was like. They were gone for a few months, and I really missed them because we were very close. One day, my mother surprised me for my birthday with a plane ticket to America to see Abe and Jacob. I was over the moon. It was the best gift I have ever received. Another story was when I needed money to open my first burger joint, my mother convinced my father to lend me some money to open the restaurant. She always supported and motivated me to take risks when it came to my businesses and without her unconditional love, I could not have been where I am today.

So how are things going today?

Things are going amazing. Since my burger joint when I was 16, I got into real estate and now own and operate an extensive real estate portfolio. I married the love of my life, Aline. She is the most beautiful, kind, and sweetest person that I have ever met. We have been married for almost 40 years. I have 5 children and 12 grandchildren that never fail to make me proud. Also, ten years ago, I made a movie about my life with some big-time actors. It is called “For the Love of Money.” I also just finished a book that is scheduled to come out very soon, Dreams Don’t Die

An Israeli Immigrant’s Mission To Inspire A Generation Of Dreamers. I wrote the book to inspire to the up-and-coming generation that the American Dream is real. To summarize my life today, things are perfect!

How have you used your success to bring goodness to the world?

I grew up in a family surrounded by crime. One of my cousins, Levi, was a bank robber. Two of my other cousins operated the biggest embezzlement heist in Israel’s history. I’ve learned through their experiences that nothing is wrong with wanting to earn money and be rich, but it’s not okay to acquire it in an illegal way. If you are greedy enough and do illegal things for money, things won’t go well for you. You can make it if you go the legitimate way like I have done. I have never betrayed, or stolen, and have always respected other people. I believe that if you portray these traits, along with being a “go-getter,” you will be successful and do not need to resort to illegal activities. This is the primary message in my movie and book, and I try to share that message with as many young people as possible.

I also am an advocate for the homeless in Los Angeles. When I was 16, I saw an L.A. store owner pepper-spray a homeless man, just for being in the alley. On that day, I learned about doing right by others, a lesson that continues to be a driving force in my life today. In the last several years, I have tried to turn one of my high-rise buildings — the old Sears building — into something I call the Life Rebuilding Center. This would be a short-term housing/rehabilitation facility providing job training/help find employment, medical/dental/pharmacy care, hair salon/barbershop, plus three meals daily — all to get residents back on track. Charities and homeless groups would handle the needed services, with the City and L.A. County responsible for the cost of running the center. We’ve tried hard to get political support for this, but as of now it’s still pending.

You have first-hand experience with the US immigration system. If you had the power, which three things would you suggest to improve the system?

If I had the ability, the first thing that I would do to improve the system would be to remove barriers that currently prevent highly educated people from coming here. I visited Dubai a couple of years ago, shortly before Russia’s war with Ukraine. During my trip, I went to a restaurant and my waitress immigrated there from Russia. She was very well-educated. After a long conversation, she admitted that she would love to immigrate to the USA because she was barely earning a living there, however, she stated that the US border is closed to her. First and foremost, we need to change the system to allow more highly educated people to come to our country and positively contribute to our society.

As with more highly educated immigrants, I believe that immigration rules should also account for skillsets, too. Immigrants who are skilled at different kinds of labor add to our workforce — and do not necessarily take jobs away from Americans. Plus, added workers will contribute by being consumers and paying taxes, not being a drain on social services. So, skills should be taken into account.

Can you share “5 keys to achieving the American dream” that others can learn from you?

1. Motivation — Stay driven and motivated to achieve your goals. My journey to America was fueled by a strong desire to succeed and to create a better life for myself and my family. Despite facing challenges along the way, my motivation never wavered.

2. Honesty — Always choose the path of honesty and integrity. My family’s involvement in illegal activities served as a reminder of the consequences of dishonesty. I built my businesses on a foundation of trust and transparency, which has played a big part in my success.

3. Kindness — Treat others with kindness and respect. This principle has guided my interactions in both personal and professional settings. Being kind not only creates positive relationships but also creates a supportive network of people who believe in your success.

4. Caring — Show care and concern for your community and those less fortunate. Throughout my life, I’ve been involved in charitable endeavors and giving back to the community. It’s important to remember that the American Dream isn’t just about personal success; it’s also about making a positive impact on the community around you.

5. Go-getter — Be proactive and seize opportunities. When I dropped out of high school at 16, I didn’t let it deter me from pursuing my dreams. I opened my first business, a burger joint, and took the initiative to create my own path to success.

We know that the US needs improvement. But are there 3 things that make you optimistic about the US’s future?

1. Freedom: The United States offers incredible freedoms unlike anywhere else on earth. It is why people want to come here. But we must be vigilant in protecting those freedoms.

2. Capitalism: Our economic system enables individuals who work hard, or dream big, to achieve unlimited success. No other system offers this potential.

3. Innovation: America has long been a global leader in innovation, and that will continue.

We are very blessed that some of the biggest names in Business, VC funding, Sports, and Entertainment read this column. Is there a person in the world, or in the US whom you would love to have a private breakfast or lunch with, and why? He or she might see this, especially if we tag them. :-)

I really look up to Elon Musk. He is a true innovator and, in my opinion, is one of the most important people in our country’s history. Without his innovative movements, not only our nation, but the entire world, would not be where it is today. He is also a very straight-shooter. He is not afraid to say what is on his mind and is very much a centrist — like myself — by having his own beliefs on issues and not following any certain political ideology.

What is the best way our readers can further follow your work online?

My company website is https://www.shomofgroup.com/

This was very inspiring. Thank you so much for joining us!

Thank you for this opportunity!