Full Breakdown
Record $200 Million Gift Fuels Shaare Zedek Hospital Expansion
5/14/2026, 11:46:51 AM
Record Donation and Planned Expansion
The Koum Family Foundation, created by WhatsApp co-founder Jan Koum, pledged $200 million to Shaare Zedek Medical Center in Jerusalem. The money will fund a 24-story, 1.5-million-square-foot inpatient tower with expanded surgical and emergency units, protected underground spaces, a rooftop helipad, and staff housing. In return, the hospital will be renamed Koum Shaare Zedek Medical Center. Government and municipal approvals are in place, and construction is planned to commence following the approvals.
Historical Context
Founded in 1898, Shaare Zedek treats over one million patients annually and operates roughly 1,000 beds. The $200 million gift eclipses the previous largest Israeli healthcare donation of $180 million to Rabin Medical Center’s Tower of Hope. Jan Koum, a Ukrainian-born immigrant who co-founded WhatsApp and sold it to Meta for about $19 billion, has previously directed $50 million to Soroka Medical Center after wartime damage.
Key Figures
- Jan Koum – Founder, Koum Family Foundation
- Dr. Jonathan Halevy – President, Shaare Zedek
- Dr. Ofer Merin – Director-General, Shaare Zedek
- Yana Kalika – President, Koum Family Foundation
Project Scale
The tower will more than triple the hospital’s footprint, adding over 1.5 million sq ft and new underground protected areas. Staff housing aims to ease Jerusalem’s high housing costs. The expansion is expected to boost inpatient capacity and modernize emergency care, reinforcing the hospital’s status as a national and global leader in advanced, compassionate medicine.
Official Statements Summary
Hospital officials called the donation a historic milestone that reflects confidence in Shaare Zedek’s medical excellence and its role in Israeli health care. The foundation highlighted its commitment to fostering innovation and research that benefits patients locally and worldwide. Both sides emphasized the partnership’s potential to set new standards for infrastructure, staff welfare, and patient outcomes.
Verbatim Quotes
- “We are proud to partner with Shaare Zedek Medical Center, an institution that defines medical excellence in Jerusalem and beyond,” — Jan Koum, Founder, Koum Family Foundation
- “This is truly a special moment in Shaare Zedek Medical Center’s 124-year-old history,” — Dr. Jonathan Halevy, President, Shaare Zedek Medical Center
- “a mark of honor for every employee of our hospital.” — Dr. Ofer Merin, Director-General, Shaare Zedek Medical Center
- “This partnership will allow us to forge ahead with the construction of our new medical tower, which will set a new standard for Israeli healthcare and further establish our hospital’s position as a national and global leader of advanced and compassionate medicine,” — Dr. Ofer Merin, Director-General, Shaare Zedek Medical Center
Upcoming Milestones
Following the approvals, the hospital will move forward with construction of the tower, a project described as reshaping medical care in Jerusalem for generations.
