On October 30, 2013, the business community Congress College, acting under the aegis of the Euro-Asian Jewish Congress, held a joint event with the restaurant holding company “G.M.R. Planet of Hospitality” titled “Merab Elashvili’s History of Success. Guests at the ‘Planet of Hospitality.’” The prominent entrepreneur and philanthropist, EAJC Vice President Merab Isakovich Elashbili (Ben-El), who heads the restaurant holding company “G.M.R. Planet of Hospitality,” was the guest of honor at the meeting.

The meeting was hosted by Congress College Chairman, EAJC Vice President Yuri Raskin and prominent TV journalist David Schneiderov. The Chairman introduced Merab Elashvili and his relatives and companions - Georgiy Elashvili (Ben-El) and Roman Shamilashvili (Shamir), as well as the guests of honor - Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the State of Israel to the Russian Federation Dorit Golender and the Head Rabbi of Russia Adolph Shaevich. The hosts noted how impressive Elashvili’s work in the restaurant business has been. His company is currently an international multi-brand holding company, uniting over 300 restaurants in Russia and other countries. They also made a special note of the charitable activities of Elashvili and his companions. Videos were shown about the G.M.R. Planet of Hospitality and the charitable foundation “Planet of Good” organized by the companions.

Then Merab Elashvili himself told his story. He spoke about his roots - a religious Jewish family of the Georgian town Kulashi, of his first steps in business, about how hard it was to estabilish a restaurant holding company, beginning with the first Sbarro restaurant in Moscow, in 1997. When he spoke about the difficult situations that have taken place in his work numerous times, he stressed: “When the going got tough, I always knew that I was going up!”

He spoke at length on how he organizes business processes and his stance on matters of religion and charity. “I don’t like to talk about my charitable activities,” Elashvili said, “and believed it to be wrong before. But one day a rabbi convinced me that I can be an example for someone else, and perhaps that someone will strive to do good.”

When speaking on personal matters, Elashvili elucidated his views on family, raising children, cultural values, and art. At the end of his speech, Merab Elashvili said, “Sometimes you think: ‘Maybe it’s time to stop here?’ But then you understand that you’ve only just made it to the beginning!’

The guests of the evening included, among other celebrities, the poet Vladimir Vishnevsky, TV host Nikolai Drozdov, composer Alexander Zhurbin, film directors Andrei Zhitinkin, Alexander Levenbuk, and Yuri Sherling, and painter Nikas Safronov. During the non-stop buffet, the guests were able to see for themselves just how generous the “Planet of Hospitality” is.