Billionaire John Paulson Donates Record $250 Million to Hebrew University

By מערכת ice

Translated & summarized from Ice by baba

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Hebrew · 12 newsrooms covering

Billionaire John Paulson has made a record $250 million donation to the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, the largest in its history. The funds will establish a new engineering faculty and support medical research, with the Mount Scopus campus to be named in his and his wife's honor. Paulson cited international solidarity with Israel as a motivation for the gift, highlighting the university's academic achievements. This follows previous significant donations from Paulson to Israeli institutions and his recent involvement in a media acquisition bid.

The story in 6 lines · by baba

Billionaire John Paulson donated a record $250 million to the Hebrew University of Jerusalem.
The historic donation will fund a new engineering faculty and expand medical research.
The university's Mount Scopus campus will be renamed the "Alina and John Paulson Campus, Mount Scopus."
Paulson stated the donation signifies international solidarity with Israel.
He is a major philanthropist who previously donated to Harvard and other institutions.
Paulson was recently involved in a bid to acquire Israel's "Reshet 13" television channel.

Billionaire John Paulson Donates Record $250 Million to Hebrew University — Editorial illustration generated by baba News, not a photograph of the event.

The Hebrew University of Jerusalem announced on Saturday it has received a historic donation of $250 million from American billionaire and philanthropist John Paulson. This marks the largest single donation in the university's history. The funds are designated for establishing a new engineering faculty, expanding activities in medicine and biomedical fields, and advancing research and treatment for trauma and post-traumatic stress disorder.

In recognition of the gift, the university's historic Mount Scopus campus will be named the "Alina and John Paulson Campus, Mount Scopus." This significant contribution follows Paulson's previous support for the institution, which included the establishment of the Paulson Building for Computer Science and Engineering and the John Paulson Building for Electrical Engineering.

Hebrew University President Prof. Tamir Shper described the donation as a profound expression of confidence in Israel's human capital and its ability to attract leading faculty and equip laboratories with cutting-edge technology. Paulson stated at a board of trustees event that the donation signifies international solidarity with Israel during this time, emphasizing the university's scientific and academic achievements as deserving of philanthropic support.

Paulson, 71, founder of his namesake hedge fund, is estimated to be worth approximately $11.2 billion. He previously gained renown for accurately predicting the collapse of the U.S. mortgage market before the 2008 subprime crisis, a successful bet that reportedly earned his fund $15 billion. Beyond his financial and political activities, Paulson is a prominent philanthropist, having previously donated $400 million to Harvard University and significant sums to NYU, schools, and research institutions.

In addition to his substantial contributions to the Hebrew University over the years, Paulson also donated to the Tel Aviv Museum of Art. Recently, his name was also linked to a bid for control of Israel's media market, as a financial partner in a consortium led by Patrick Drahi aiming to acquire the "Reshet 13" television channel. This bid faced regulatory hurdles, ultimately allowing a competing group led by Assaf Rappaport to proceed with the acquisition.