When German troops marched into Hungary in 1944, Frank Lowy’s school closed, and with that, his formal education came to an end.

He was 13 years old, and occupied Budapest became his classroom. Alone on its streets, he developed skills that would serve him for the rest of his days. Chief among these, was his ability to remain alert to both threats and opportunities.

At 17, he was a commando in the Golani Brigade, fighting for the new State of Israel. Previously a lone operator, in this elite unit he began to understand the power of comradeship.

At 21, Lowy was on his way to join the surviving members of his family in Australia. Over time, he would become known as that country’s most successful post-war immigrant.

He co-founded the international business empire, Westfield, which on some metrics, became the largest retail property development company in the world.

Lowy led the company though six decades before selling it in 2018. That same year, he re-settled in Israel. He was 88.

He left a philanthropic and intellectual legacy in Australia, which includes The Lowy Institute, a leading independent international policy think tank.

When one of his sons was diagnosed with a rare eye condition, the family sprang into action. Through the Lowy Medical Research Institute, father and son worked together to shape a unique model of medical research.

The condition, known as macular telangiectasia, was not understood nor treatable. Over the next 20 years, the institute cracked its code, discovered it was more common than thought, and produced a treatment that significantly slows the loss of vision. Many have since benefitted.

But it was soccer that made Lowy an Australian folk hero. He professionalised a sport that was in a shambles and, after a 32-year absence, took the national team to the World Cup in 2006. He set it on a path that has seen it continue to qualify.

Meanwhile, Lowy had long been a public Jewish figure in Australia, proud of his identity, generous in his support, on guard and willing to speak out when required.

His attachment to Israel remained steadfast and as the century turned, he began spending more time in Tel Aviv. By 2006 he was putting his mind to helping transform the Jaffee Centre into the INSS.

Preoccupied with security, in March 2023, months before the October 7 disaster, he instigated the INSS board to issue a warning to the public about Israel’s vulnerability.

While the country was facing an ominous combination of severe threats to its security, internally it was fractured by proposed judicial reform. This discord was seeping into all aspects of life, including the IDF.

For the first time in its 45-year history, the institute issued a “Strategic Alert” about the security implications of the reform and how it was affecting the country’s ability to deal with external threats.

In the wake of October 7, cognisant of Israel’s pressing need for global academic collaboration, Lowy made a pertinent gift to Tel Aviv University. He provided a new building for its international school together with funding for scholarships, visiting professors and innovative programs.

The Lowy International School was dedicated to his late wife Shirley, who had made Aliyah with him, aged 84. Music was central in their lives and earlier, they had helped to rebuild the home of the Israeli Philharmonic Orchestra, now known as the Lowy Concert Hall.

As a governor of Tel-Aviv University, Lowy also supported its Center for Combating Pandemics, and nanotechnology research.

In appreciation of his contribution to the common good, numerous awards, citations and honours have been bestowed on Lowy.

Among these are Australia’s and Israel’s highest civilian honours - Companion of the Order of Australia - the Israeli Presidential Medal of Honour - and a UK knighthood from Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II.

As an autodidact, Lowy has held weighty board positions that range from The Reserve Bank of Australia (Central Bank) to The Daily Mail and General Trust, Britain’s multinational media conglomerate.

Now in his 90s, he continues to chair the INSS and regularly returns to Australia where he chairs The Lowy Institute.