Professor Stanley Fischer, who made aliyah to serve as Governor of the Bank of Israel from 2005 to 2013, passed away last night (Saturday to Sunday) at the age of 81.
Fischer played a central role in shaping Israel’s economy as early as the 1980s, when he served as an emissary of the International Monetary Fund and helped craft the 1985 Economic Stabilization Plan. As Governor of the Bank of Israel, he led a prudent and responsible economic policy, including during the height of the global financial crisis in 2008.
A decades-long contribution to Israel’s economy
President Isaac Herzog paid tribute to him: “Professor Stanley Fischer, who passed away last night, was a great Governor of the Bank of Israel. Fischer made a major contribution to Israel’s economy, to its impressive resilience, and to its global reputation. He was a world-renowned professional, a man of integrity, and a person with a heart of gold. A lover of peace and a pursuer of peace. A dear friend we will always remember. May his memory be a blessing.”
Current Bank of Israel Governor, Professor Amir Yaron, added: “All of us at the Bank of Israel, past and present, bow our heads today in memory of Professor Fischer, whose contribution to the Bank and to advancing Israel’s economy was profound. We share in the deep sorrow of his family. May his memory be a blessing.”
The Bank of Israel released a statement: “The Governor of the Bank of Israel, the Monetary Committee and the Administrative Council, members of the management, all employees of the Bank and its retirees join the family in mourning and bow their heads at the passing of Professor Stanley Fischer z”l.”
