US Investor John Paulson Donates $250 Million to Hebrew University

The Hebrew University of Jerusalem announced Saturday the largest donation it has ever received: $250 million from American investor John Paulson. The announcement was made during the university's Board of Trustees gala, and in recognition, the historic Mount Scopus campus will be named after Paulson and his wife, Alina. The funds are designated for four key areas, most notably the establishment of a new Faculty of Engineering. This faculty will operate in conjunction with departments of computer science, medicine, and life sciences. Additionally, the donation will expand medical and biomedical studies and research, including a novel model for training physicians that the university has been developing. A portion of the contribution will support research into trauma and recovery, a field that has gained significant attention in Israel since the October 2023 attacks. Another part will fund a new think tank aimed at bridging academic knowledge with public needs in Israel and globally. The specific allocation among the four areas and the timeline for fund transfers were not disclosed.

Paulson presented the donation as a statement of support for Israel and its institutions during a challenging period. He highlighted the university's achievements, including its 10 Nobel laureates, two Turing Award winners, and one Fields Medal recipient, along with over 10,700 patents. He also noted that tuition at the Hebrew University is significantly lower than at comparable leading American universities. The article also provides background on Paulson, detailing his career, his highly profitable bet against the US subprime mortgage market in 2007, and his previous significant donations, including $400 million to Harvard University and $100 million to Central Park in New York. His family foundation, established in 2009, supports education, science, arts, health, and conservation. In 2021, it granted $15 million to the Tel Aviv Museum of Art, whose main building is now named after the foundation.

The donation places the Hebrew University's gift among the largest ever received by an Israeli academic institution. It follows a trend of substantial donations from international Jewish philanthropists to Israeli institutions in recent years. Examples include a $200 million donation from WhatsApp co-founder Jan Koum to Shaare Zedek Medical Center, a $125 million pledge from John and Mindy Gray to Tel Aviv University's medical school, and a $100 million donation from Sylvan Adams to Soroka Medical Center. The article also touches upon the financial challenges faced by Israeli universities, such as Haifa University's deficit, and the ongoing academic boycott against Israeli institutions, noting a significant increase in reported boycott incidents, particularly in Europe.