The Marriages of Ariel Sharon

Ariel Sharon, married twice and widowed twice is a father and grandfather who has had to deal with personal tragedy several times. Here's information about his marriages to Margalit and Lily.

2/26/08: Ariel Sharon's family quietly celebrated his 80th birthday at his bedside at the Sheba Medical Center at Tel Hashomer. Sharon is still comatose.

5/28/06: Ariel Sharon has been moved from Hadassah Hospital in Jerusalem to Sheba Medical Center, a long-term care facility.

1/12/06: Ariel Sharon's condition remained "serious and stable" and recovery will likely take months.
Source: CNN

1/06/06: After suffering more setbacks from his recent massive hemorrhagic stroke, Ariel Sharon was considered to be near death.

Ariel Scheinermann (Sharon): February 27, 1928 in Kfar Malal in the central Sharon Valley, near Tel Aviv. At the time, the area was considered Palestine and was under British control.

Margalit was born in Romania.

Ariel met Margalit in 1947 when she was 16 and tending a vegetable field.

Margalit and Ariel were married in 1953. They had one son, Gur. Margalit worked as a supervisory psychiatric nurse.

Gali, as Ariel called her, was killed in an automobile accident in May 2, 1962 on the Jerusalem-Tel Aviv highway. She was driving a small Austin and was hit head-on by a truck.

Lily was born in Romania. She was the sister of Margalit, Ariel's first wife.

Lily and Arial were married in 1963. They had two sons. Lily often traveled with Ariel to meetings and conventions.

Lily studied at the Avni Art Institute. She was a non-commissioned intelligence officer, an interior decorator, an artist, and an ornithologist. She loved music.

Lily fell ill in February, 1999 and died of lung cancer at the age of 63 in a hospital in Tel Aviv on March 25, 2000.

Lily Sharon is buried in a small, fenced area at the summit of Anemones Hill on their family farm. The site has a willow tree, flowers, and a bench.

Ariel has three sons and several grandchildren.

• Gur Sharon: Gur was born in 1956. On the eve of Rosh Hashana, October 4, 1967, Gur was accidentally killed by a friend playing with an antique shotgun. Gur died in Ariel's arms on the way to the hospital. Gur is buried next to his mother, Margalit.
• Omri Sharon: Omri was born on August 8, 1964. His mother is Lily Sharon. Omri lives on the family farm and was an adviser to his father. Convicted of illegal election financing, Omri was sent to prison in January 2008. Given time off for good behavior, Omri is scheduled to be released on 6/25/2008.

Gilad Yehuda Sharon: Gilad was born in Zahala, c.1967. His mother is Lily Sharon. He is married to Inbal. Gilad runs the family farm. Gilad and his wife have several children.

Occupations and Interests:

Prime Minister Ariel Sharon's long involvement in the military and political life of Israel began when he was 14 and joined the Hagganah underground. He served in the Israeli military and government for most of his life.

Sharon is a lover of classical music.

Jewish.

Residence:

Ariel Sharon and his sons resided at their 800+ acre family farm, Sycamore Farm, in the northern Negev, Havat Hashikmim. The original house burned down in December, 1999 but was rebuilt.

Books:

Warrior: The Autobiography of Ariel Sharon
by Ariel Sharon with David Chanoff

Ariel Sharon
by Norman H. Finkelstein

Ariel Sharon, about Margalit: "It was while I was irrigating in our orange grove one day that I looked up and noticed a girl cultivating the vegetable field next to our property ... I had never in my life seen anyone so beautiful."
Source: Warrior, page 37

Ariel Sharon, on the loss of his son, Gur: "The pain is unending, impossible to heal."
Source: People Weekly, 02-26-2001, p65+

Ariel Sharon, about Lily: "Since Gali's death Lily had been a mother to Gur and our relationship had developed into one of deep love and strong friendship which was to profoundly affect the rest of my life."
Source: Warrior, page 168.

Ariel Sharon, dedication of his autobiography: "To my wife, Lily, who has been with me through it all and whose love and support have been my inspiration and strength."
Source: Warrior

More Quotes About Ariel, His Marriages, and His Children