Ephraim Hertzano ( Hebrew: אפרים הרצנו 1912 – September 1987) was a Romanian-born Israeli board game designer. [1] He is the inventor of the board game, Rummikub. [1]
Ephraim Hertzano was born in Romania, to a Jewish family. He originally sold toothbrushes and cosmetics. He invented the tile game Rummikub in the 1940s when card-playing was outlawed under the Communist regime. In the 1940s, after immigrating to British Mandate of Palestine (now Israel) after World War II, [2] the former perfume seller developed the first sets with his family in the backyard of his home in Bat Yam. [3]
Over the years, the family licensed it to other countries. Rummikub became Israel's best selling export game. In 1977, it became a best-selling game in the United States. [2] The following year Hertzano published an Official Rummikub Book, which describes three different versions of the game: American, Sabra, and International. [4] The game was first made by Lemada Light Industries Ltd, founded by Hertzano in 1978 and today is one of the most popular family games of all time.[ citation needed]
Hertzano died in September 1987. [5] [6]
Ephraim Hertzano ( Hebrew: אפרים הרצנו 1912 – September 1987) was a Romanian-born Israeli board game designer. [1] He is the inventor of the board game, Rummikub. [1]
Ephraim Hertzano was born in Romania, to a Jewish family. He originally sold toothbrushes and cosmetics. He invented the tile game Rummikub in the 1940s when card-playing was outlawed under the Communist regime. In the 1940s, after immigrating to British Mandate of Palestine (now Israel) after World War II, [2] the former perfume seller developed the first sets with his family in the backyard of his home in Bat Yam. [3]
Over the years, the family licensed it to other countries. Rummikub became Israel's best selling export game. In 1977, it became a best-selling game in the United States. [2] The following year Hertzano published an Official Rummikub Book, which describes three different versions of the game: American, Sabra, and International. [4] The game was first made by Lemada Light Industries Ltd, founded by Hertzano in 1978 and today is one of the most popular family games of all time.[ citation needed]
Hertzano died in September 1987. [5] [6]