By age 30, at his first position in the company, Itai Jerassi received the keys to a mega-project: to be the technical manager and chief engineer of a CAEW plane project for a foreign customer. The project involved multiple subsystems for intelligence, defense, electro-optics, interfaces with ground-based control systems, intercommunication and more. “Our tests of air and land systems for the customer in 2022 were a success, and in 2023 a successful handover showcase was held that included the presentation of all the capabilities in the project.”
My story
Itai is one of the busiest technical managers at the company today. In parallel with completing the delivery of systems for the CAEW plane, he is serving as chief engineer in other projects, as well as supporting cross-company projects and new offers to customers, from the engineering and administrative perspectives. “Almost all my projects interface with people from all over the Elbit group, which is both interesting and brings diversity – from aircraft to land systems and more.” Itai is also leading the system-engineering group in the new commercial unit for intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance planes.
He reached Elbit shortly after a career as an army officer. “As I see it, it was a natural extension of things I had been doing in the defense forces, and in general, I connect with the significance of these systems and their contribution to our protection and security,” Itai says. His wife Anat works as a human resources manager at the Defense Ministry.
Itai and Anat met back in high school, in their home city of Holon, and have been together since age 16 and a half. Two years ago, the family moved to Nes Ziona with their children, now 4 and 8. “It’s a place that most resembles a village to us, from the perspective of the environment and the freedom of the children, who acclimated at record speed. Due to our demanding jobs and frequent foreign traveling, we support each other in raising the children. Our parents help us a great deal.”
In his childhood, Itai aspired to be a soccer player and even played in the Zafririm Holon youth team but had to stop due to injuries. “I continued to play as a hobby and still enjoy playing with the guys in the neighborhood once a week. My father-in-law and I joke that we’ll send my son to a soccer academy in England, to fulfill our dream. But we won’t. Ultimately our heart is here in Israel.”
