Australian Billionaire Couple Buys Yaakov Bardugo’s Tel Aviv Duplex for 58 Million Shekels

Australian billionaire couple Robert and Ruth Magid have purchased the duplex of Israeli businessman Yaakov Bardugo located on Sderot Chen in Tel Aviv for 58 million shekels. The transaction was finalized in April 2026, as indicated by the property registration records, although the official sale price has yet to appear on the Israeli Tax Authority's website. Robert Magid, ranked 186th on The Australian Financial Review's 2026 rich list with an estimated net worth of 907 million Australian dollars (approximately 1.9 billion shekels), and his wife amassed their wealth through real estate ventures in Australia.

The Magids are also known for their philanthropic and pro-Israel activities. Robert Magid acquired The Australian Jewish News in 2007 to shift its editorial stance towards Israel. In 2016, he produced a documentary about Gaza aimed at addressing perceived media bias in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. The couple founded the Magid Institute in partnership with the Hebrew University and have donated to institutions such as the Technion and the National Library of Israel.

Yaakov Bardugo originally purchased the building at 38 Sderot Chen in 2009 for 45 million shekels alongside attorney Ron Baor. After acquisition, the property underwent extensive renovations including structural reinforcement, the addition of secure rooms, and three extra floors. The lower four floors were sold to wealthy buyers including advertising executive Avner Barel, the Ouz family (Karso), advertising executive Rami Shalmor and his wife, and the Hefetz family. Bardugo retained the fifth and sixth floors, which he converted into a luxurious duplex spanning approximately 450 square meters with 200 square meters of terraces and about 10 parking spaces and storage units in the underground garage. Prior to the sale, Bardugo leased the duplex to the Canadian embassy for 25,000 shekels per month.