WhatsApp Co-Founder Jan Koum Donates $200M to Jerusalem's Shaare Zedek Medical Center

The Landmark Gift to Shaare Zedek

Jan Koum, co-founder of WhatsApp, has directed $200 million through the Koum Family Foundation to Jerusalem's Shaare Zedek Medical Center. This sum represents the largest single donation ever recorded to any Israeli medical center and the biggest philanthropic commitment Koum has made to any cause worldwide.

Hospital's Evolution Since 1902

Shaare Zedek Medical Center traces its origins to 1902, when Dr. Moshe Wallach opened the facility on Jaffa Road with just 20 beds and a small grazing field for cows that supplied milk to patients. The campus, now located opposite Mount Herzl, operates with 1,000 beds across 30 inpatient departments, 70 outpatient clinics, and the busiest emergency department in the capital.

Plans for the New Hospitalization Tower

The donation will fund construction of an 800-bed, 24-story tower adjacent to the main campus that opened in 1979 under then director-general Dr. David Maeir. The structure will span more than 140,000 square meters, include underground spaces and a rooftop helipad, and require six years for the first 400 beds with the remainder completed four years later. The full project is estimated at $750 million, with $300 million already secured from existing funds and expected additional support from the Health Ministry and other donors.

Leadership Perspectives on the Contribution

Prof. Jonathan Halevy, president of Shaare Zedek Medical Center, stated that the foundation had previously supported projects such as a catheterization center after initial contributions of $15 million a decade ago. He noted that consistent performance on deadlines and transparency led to the larger commitment. Director-general Prof. Ofer Merin described the gift as one of the hospital's most important milestones.

Jerusalem's Growing Healthcare Needs

Halevy pointed out that Jerusalem's population is projected to reach 1.5 million by 2035, up from one million today. The tower is designed to ease crowding by reducing three-bed rooms, double the emergency department capacity, and expand internal medicine, orthopedic, and intensive care services. Approvals are advancing through municipal planning bodies, and the facility is expected to rank among Israel's largest and most advanced upon completion.

Koum's Background and Broader Impact

Koum, born 50 years ago in Kyiv, Ukraine, to a Jewish family, sold WhatsApp to Facebook for $19 billion and maintains an estimated net worth of $15.2 billion as of October 2023. He divides his time between California and Europe while supporting Jewish, educational, and pro-Israel initiatives. The medical center will be renamed the Koum Shaare Zedek Medical Center at his request, though he has remained modest about the scale of the gift.