▁to ▁France ▁after ▁the ▁German ▁invasion ▁of ▁Poland , ▁with ▁Sh m uel ▁dis gu ised ▁as ▁a ▁girl . ▁Fort y ▁members ▁of ▁his ▁family , ▁including ▁his ▁father , ▁died ▁in ▁the ▁Hol oca ust . ▁He ▁attended ▁high ▁school ▁in ▁Paris ▁and ▁Str as bourg , ▁and ▁joined ▁the ▁Young ▁Commun ist ▁League ▁in ▁ 1 9 4 5 . ▁ ▁At ▁age ▁ 1 4 , ▁he ▁began ▁s elling ▁c igare tt es ▁to ▁soldiers ▁and ▁students , ▁and ▁then ▁entered ▁the ▁rec y cling ▁business , ▁making ▁a ▁fortune ▁in ▁the ▁rec y cling ▁of ▁paper , ▁ra gs , ▁and ▁sc rap ▁metal . ▁At ▁age ▁ 2 1 , ▁he ▁entered ▁the ▁real ▁estate ▁business . ▁Through out ▁his ▁ 2 0 s , ▁Sh aron ▁built ▁up ▁his ▁business ▁emp ire . ▁He ▁came ▁to ▁own ▁a ▁transport ▁service ▁for ▁ha uling ▁mer ch and ise ▁with ▁do z ens ▁of ▁tr uck s , ▁industrial ▁plants , ▁a ▁chain ▁of ▁restaur ants ▁and ▁c af es , ▁and ▁hot els . ▁By ▁the ▁late ▁ 1 9 6 0 s , ▁he ▁owned ▁do z ens ▁of ▁companies ▁throughout ▁Europe , ▁the ▁United ▁States , ▁and ▁South ▁America , ▁and ▁did ▁business ▁in ▁oil , ▁logging , ▁and ▁pre cious ▁met als ▁in ▁Africa . ▁He ▁was ▁involved ▁in ▁large ▁projects ▁in ▁major ▁cities ▁throughout ▁the ▁world , ▁including ▁Paris , ▁New ▁York ▁City , ▁ ▁Rio ▁de ▁J ain ero , ▁Car