The Elghanian brothers diversified constantly, investing in mining and in real estate as well as in other types of manufacturing, including plastic pipes, steel and textiles. At the same time, Habib Elghanian took a leadership role in Jewish community — he was chairman of the Jewish Association for nearly two decades — and as a philanthropist. With his brothers, he established a family philanthropy to support the country’s Alliance Israelite schools, to work together with the American Joint Distribution Committee to provide for Jewish poor and to fund hospitals, among other causes. He was also active in pushing for women’s rights, and worked with the Association of Jewish Women to have the law changed so that women could inherit property.
