The greatest contribution in the history of the Israeli healthcare system: The founder of the WhatsApp application, Jan Koum, is donating $200 million to the Shaare Zedek Medical Center in Jerusalem - which is expected to triple the size of the hospital, which currently has about 1,000 beds.
The money will be channeled towards the construction of a new hospital tower that will also include staff housing.
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This donation slightly surpasses the one transferred in 2025 by Anat and Shmuel Harlap to Beilinson Hospital, which amounted to $180 million - for the construction of the 'Hope Tower', which is scheduled to open in early 2027.
Jan Koum, 50, a Jew born in Kiev, Ukraine, immigrated to the United States as a youth in Kiev with his Jewish mother - and lived for a time on government assistance. He later became one of the most prominent philanthropists in the Jewish world, after selling WhatsApp to Meta in 2014 for $19 billion.
Kom's connection to Israel has strengthened in recent years. Following the war in Ukraine, Kom donated tens of millions of dollars to Jewish organizations in Eastern Europe. In addition, he donated about $140 million to about 70 Jewish organizations, including Chabad.
The negotiations for the donation of the copy were conducted by Shaare Zedek President, Prof. Yonatan Halevi, together with Shaare Zedek Director General, Prof. Ofer Marin, and Special Projects Manager, Akiva Holzer - with the President of the Koum Family Foundation, Mrs. Jana Kalika.
Shaare Zedek Medical Center is currently the largest in Jerusalem and the fastest growing in the country, and one of the seven largest medical centers in Israel.
In the last decade, Shaare Zedek has doubled its volume of activity to approximately 1,000 hospital beds while establishing centers of excellence that attract patients from all over the country, and upon completion of the tower, the volume of activity will double again to approximately 1,800 hospital beds.
The new hospital tower will be the largest and most innovative in the country. The tower, which will rise to a height of 24 floors in a total area of approximately 150,000 square meters, will include approximately 800 new hospital beds, advanced underground operating rooms and a helipad on the roof. The tower is designed to advanced standards and will include spacious and advanced hospital wards, state-of-the-art maternity wards, and of course, protection of the most advanced standard.
Visualization: Goshli Dagan Architects
The tower is in advanced planning stages and the expected construction duration is 6 years to complete the structure and occupy 11 floors, and an additional 4 years for its full operation.
The tower is designed by Mosheli Dagan Architects and its construction is being managed by Margolin. The new tower and the increase in the number of hospital beds have been approved by the government and the Jerusalem Municipality.
Jan Koum, founder of the Koum Family Foundation: "I am proud to have the opportunity to collaborate with a center of advanced medicine, whose legacy is important to the city of Jerusalem, the Land of Israel, and the Jewish people as a whole. This is our largest contribution ever.
""Our contribution will lead to better medicine, innovation and development of treatments and medical research, and better conditions for patients. This is the best return we will receive. We are proud to be part of the Shaare Zedek Medical Center family and thank Shaare Zedek President Prof. Yonatan Halevi and the entire team for their trust and long-standing friendship.".
Shaare Zedek President, Prof. Yonatan Halevi: "This is a historic and exciting day in the 124 years of existence of Shaare Zedek Medical Center. Jan Koum's special and exciting contribution is an expression of trust in Shaare Zedek, the city of Jerusalem, and the State of Israel. We are honored to have one of the world's greatest Jewish philanthropists associate his name with the excellence of Shaare Zedek, and we thank him and congratulate him.".
""Jan Koum's contribution, which came entirely from his warm Zionist heart and sympathy for Israel, is a defining moment in the history of Shaare Zedek and the entire health system, and it will resonate for generations. Welcome to the Shaare Zedek family.".
Shaare Zedek Medical Center CEO, Prof. Ofer Marin: "Jan Koum's historic contribution to Shaare Zedek is a certificate of honor for each and every one of Shaare Zedek's employees from the day of its establishment to the present day. The donation, with which we will establish the most advanced hospitalization tower in the country, will bring Shaare Zedek to flourish and place it on a par with the largest medical centers in Israel and the world. I thank Jan Koum and the Koum Family Foundation on behalf of the Shaare Zedek staff and all the residents of Jerusalem.".
