Billionaire John Paulson donates $250 million to Hebrew University in record gift
The American billionaire’s donation will fund a new Faculty of Engineering, expand medical research and support trauma treatment. In an interview with Calcalist, Paulson discusses his growing commitment to Israel and the need to integrate the Haredi community into the economy.
American philanthropist and investor John Paulson announced a historic $250 million donation to the Hebrew University of Jerusalem at the university’s Board of Governors gala on Saturday evening, marking the largest gift in the institution’s history.
The donation will fund the establishment of a new Faculty of Engineering, expand activities in medicine and biomedicine, and advance research and treatment related to trauma and post-traumatic stress. In recognition of the gift, the university’s historic Mount Scopus campus will be renamed the Alina and John Paulson Campus, Mount Scopus, Jerusalem. The contribution follows Paulson’s previous support for the university’s computer science and electrical engineering programs.
“This donation bolsters our ability to recruit world-class faculty, support outstanding students, equip laboratories with cutting-edge technology, and transform bold ideas into life-changing breakthroughs,” said Prof. Tamir Sheafer, president of the Hebrew University. “This is far more than a historic act of philanthropy. It is a profound expression of confidence in Israel’s human capital.”
Paulson, founder of the hedge fund that bears his name, made much of his fortune by betting against the U.S. subprime mortgage market ahead of the 2008 financial crisis. His fund reportedly earned approximately $15 billion from the trade, while Paulson personally made about $4 billion. He is also known for his philanthropic support of higher education, including a gift of roughly $400 million to Harvard University about a decade ago, which remains the largest donation in the institution’s history.
In an exclusive interview with Calcalist, Paulson explained why he has directed more of his philanthropy toward Israel.
“I made the choice to shift my philanthropy toward Jewish causes in general, and toward Israel in particular. Israel is currently facing numerous challenges. There is anti-Israel sentiment and a global rise in antisemitism. I decided it was crucial to demonstrate support for Israel, and a fantastic way to do so is by supporting Israel’s leading university.”
Paulson also sees the integration of Israel’s ultra-Orthodox (Haredi) and Arab populations into higher education and the economy as an important challenge. He singled out the Haredi community’s potential contribution to the country’s workforce and research base.
“In recent days, I’ve spoken with the university about the importance of expanding university-level education within the Haredi sector, an area on which the Hebrew University is currently focused. The Haredi community in Israel possesses immense intellectual resources. If Haredim pursue a general education, it would significantly expand Israel’s knowledge base and the nation’s productive capacity.”
Paulson pointed to the Israeli AI startup Decart as an example of the potential for Haredi participation in the technology sector.
“In my view, there are also positive developments in this area. For instance, there is a company currently making headlines called Decart. It was founded by three young people, one of whom is Haredi, Moshe Shalev. He met his co-founders during their military service, likely in Unit 8200, and now it appears that Amazon is set to acquire the company for $7 billion. This serves as a small example of how crucial it is to integrate the Haredi community into Israel’s economy and business sector. In the U.S., this integration is already taking place. Haredim pursue both Jewish studies and general academic subjects. It is not an ‘either-or’ scenario.”
