$100 million gift to hospital from philanthropists Margaret and Sylvan Adams propels their giving toward $700 million to date
Billionaire and real estate magnate philanthropists Sylvan Adams and his wife, Margaret, continue to redefine global charity with a string of transformative donations that have placed them among the world’s most influential benefactors.
This week, the Adams announced a new $100 million donation to Soroka University Medical Center in Beersheba—one of the most significant individual gifts.
The contribution will fund the hospital’s reconstruction and modernization after it suffered severe damage during an Iranian missile strike earlier that year.
Speaking at an Israeli Cabinet meeting, Adams described the gift as part of a $300 million public-private initiative aimed at bolstering medical infrastructure in Israel’s south.
The plan includes a fortified hospital tower, expanded emergency services, and new medical technologies designed to enhance the region’s healthcare resilience.
The Soroka donation follows another landmark $100 million gift to Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, announced in the aftermath of the October 7, 2023, terror attacks.
That earlier contribution, among the largest ever to an Israeli university, was designed to strengthen the Negev’s educational and economic recovery, reflecting Adams’s deep belief in the role of academia as a stabilizing force in times of national trauma.
Sylvan Adams’s wife is Margaret Adams. The couple met on a kibbutz in the 1980s, immigrated to Israel together in 2015, and currently reside in Tel Aviv. Margaret is actively involved in their philanthropic initiatives and is a co-signatory to their public commitments, including the Giving Pledge.
Since immigrating to Israel in 2015 from Canada, the Adamses have given hundreds of millions of dollars to projects that combine immediate humanitarian impact with long-term national renewal.
He has helped fund a children’s hospital in Holon, the Sylvan Adams Emergency Hospital in Tel Aviv, and the lifesaving work of Save a Child’s Heart, which provides surgery for children from developing countries.
His investments in education include prestigious doctoral scholarships through the Margaret and Sylvan Adams Family Foundation and major contributions to Jewish educational institutions worldwide.
Beyond healthcare and academia, Adamses have become synonymous with Israel’s growing prominence in global sports and cultural diplomacy.
A passionate cyclist, he financed Israel’s first Olympic-standard velodrome, co-owns the Israel Premier Tech cycling team, and helped bring the Giro d’Italia to Israel—historic milestones that have boosted the nation’s image abroad.
His support has also extended to international cultural events, including the Eurovision Song Contest, as part of a broader effort to showcase Israel’s creativity and resilience.
Adams is a signatory to the Giving Pledge, aligning himself with global philanthropists who have committed to devoting the majority of their wealth to public good.
His approach to giving—bold, collaborative, and bridge-building—reflects a belief that philanthropy should unite people and foster shared progress.
In 2025, Adams was appointed president of the World Jewish Congress Israel Region and was honored as the representative of Diaspora Jews at Israel’s 75th Independence Day ceremony.
These roles underscore his stature not only as a benefactor but as a bridge between Israel and global Jewry.
To date, Sylvan Adams’s lifetime philanthropic giving is estimated to approach $700 million.
His consistent pattern of large-scale, high-impact giving—particularly in response to national crises—has positioned him as a defining figure in 21st-century philanthropy: a donor whose vision and generosity continue to shape Israel’s social, educational, and humanitarian landscape.