$200 million gift from Jan Koum, the co-founder of WhatsApp, to a hospital recognized globally for its inclusiveness, where patients of all religions, races, and economic backgrounds are treated without prejudice in a setting that is apolitical and non-discriminatory

In a landmark act of generosity that promises to reshape Jerusalem’s healthcare landscape for generations to come, WhatsApp co-founder Jan Koum has donated a record-breaking $200 million to Shaare Zedek Medical Center, the largest philanthropic gift in the history of Israel’s healthcare system.

Announced through the Jan Koum Family Foundation, this extraordinary contribution will fund the construction of a new inpatient tower, complete with dedicated housing for medical staff, effectively tripling the size of the bustling Jerusalem hospital, which currently has approximately 1,000 beds.

The gift stands as a powerful testament to Koum’s deep commitment to strengthening the city’s medical infrastructure amid growing healthcare demands.

Officials at Shaare Zedek described the donation’s transformative potential with evident excitement. The new tower’s rapid advancement through Jerusalem’s municipal planning institutions signals the scale of the project and the momentum it has generated.

Once complete, the expanded facility will dramatically increase capacity for inpatient care, emergency services, and specialized treatments, while providing essential on-site housing to help attract and retain top medical talent amid Jerusalem’s housing pressures.

This $200 million donation—roughly 580 million shekels—surpasses previous major gifts to Israeli hospitals. What sets Koum’s contribution apart is its ambition: a wholesale expansion that will position Shaare Zedek as one of the region’s leading medical hubs, capable of serving far more patients with advanced care as the population grows.

Jan Koum’s own story adds a distinctly North American dimension to this moment of impact. A Ukrainian immigrant who arrived in the United States at age 16 with his mother and grandmother, Koum settled in Mountain View, California, where the family relied on government assistance and food stamps to get by.

He went on to co-found WhatsApp in the Bay Area, building the messaging app into a global platform used by billions before its landmark $19 billion acquisition by Facebook (now Meta) in 2014—a deal he famously signed at the very Mountain View welfare office where his family had once collected aid.

The Koum Family Foundation, based in Palo Alto, California, channeled this Silicon Valley success into philanthropy, with Koum continuing to maintain strong ties to the Golden State while dividing time between California and Europe.

His support for Shaare Zedek builds on prior giving; records show the foundation directed significant funds to the hospital in earlier years as part of broader healthcare investments.

Between 2019 and 2020, it contributed substantially to various organizations, establishing Koum as a notable philanthropist focused on health initiatives.

The donation reflects the reach of American innovation and enterprise, with roots firmly planted in California’s tech ecosystem.

Shaare Zedek Medical Center has long enjoyed deep connections to North America through dedicated support networks that amplify its mission.

The American Committee for Shaare Zedek Medical Center, a New York-based 501(c)(3), has mobilized U.S. donors for years to fund capital projects, equipment, and research at the hospital, including past partnerships with American government programs like USAID’s American Schools and Hospitals Abroad initiative that helped expand emergency services and acquire advanced technology such as robotic surgical systems.

Similarly, the Canadian Shaare Zedek Hospital Foundation in Toronto raises funds across Canada to support the hospital’s lifesaving work, creating a vibrant transatlantic bridge of generosity from North America.

In an era when private philanthropy increasingly supports vital infrastructure, Koum’s gift highlights the impact of visionary support from a U.S.-based leader. Shaare Zedek, founded in 1902 and today a leading teaching hospital affiliated with the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, treats over a million patients annually, serving Jerusalem’s diverse population with excellence.

Shaare Zedek Medical Center has long stood as a beacon of inclusive care, open to everyone regardless of religion, race, nationality, or financial means.

It operates as a strictly non-political, non-discriminatory institution that provides compassionate, advanced medicine to all who seek treatment. From its founding, the hospital has responded to Jerusalem’s uniquely diverse demographics, welcoming patients and staff from varied backgrounds side by side.

Arab patients, including those from within Israel and from the Palestinian Authority, receive the same high-quality care as all others. The hospital employs medical professionals from diverse ethnic and religious communities, reflecting the region’s workforce diversity.

Examples include collaborative teams of doctors working together in departments ranging from trauma to specialized clinics, such as the world-renowned Gaucher disease unit that treats both local and international patients.

This commitment to universal access ensures that the new tower will extend life-saving services equitably across Jerusalem’s multifaceted population—and beyond, thanks to the hospital’s active medical tourism program that welcomes patients from around the world, including those traveling from North America for specialized care.

Beyond infrastructure, this donation underscores belief in healthcare’s power to serve humanity broadly. For medical staff, on-site housing will reduce burdens in a competitive city, allowing greater focus on patient care. For patients—residents, visitors from across the globe, and those seeking specialized treatment—the expansion means improved access, shorter waits, and state-of-the-art facilities.

As Jerusalem navigates growth and healthcare needs, gifts like Koum’s reaffirm the value of individual commitment to collective well-being, with a clear thread connecting American entrepreneurial spirit to global impact. Shaare Zedek’s leadership has reason to view this as a pivotal moment. The hospital’s future shines brighter as it continues its mission of healing for all.

This visionary donation will expand a strictly non-political, non-discriminatory, world-class hospital that has long welcomed everyone—regardless of religion, race, nationality, or ability to pay—and delivers compassionate, world-class medicine to all.

Jan Koum’s $200 million gift is more than a financial contribution.

It is an investment in life and health for the many who rely on Shaare Zedek’s inclusive care, powered by the success story of a California-based innovator whose journey from immigrant roots to transformative philanthropy continues to inspire.

As the new inpatient tower rises, it will symbolize generosity and the enduring importance of accessible, excellent medicine in a diverse city—strengthened by the enduring support of North American friends and visionaries.