$50 million latest gift to medical center from Henry and Susan Samueli propels their philanthropic giving past the $1 billion mark

Henry and Susan Samueli have never been incremental philanthropists. Their giving has long reflected a conviction that transformational change—whether in science, education, or human health—requires not only capital but also continuity, trust, and an unwavering belief in institutional excellence.

Their new $50 million commitment to Clalit’s Beilinson Medical Center in Petah Tikvah is emblematic of that philosophy: a decisive second act that converts early promise into enduring impact.

Three years after their initial $25 million investment established the Samueli Integrative Cancer Pioneering Institute, the couple has chosen to double down—signaling both confidence in the institute’s early achievements and a broader commitment to reshaping the future of cancer care in Israel and beyond.

At a moment when global oncology is increasingly defined by precision medicine, artificial intelligence, and interdisciplinary collaboration, the Samuelis’ vision stands apart for its insistence on “whole-person” care.

Their institute does not simply pursue breakthroughs in immunotherapy or data science—though it is already advancing both—but seeks to integrate these innovations with nutrition, psychosocial care, and complementary therapies, all grounded in rigorous clinical evidence.

That ambition has moved swiftly from concept to execution. Since its founding, the institute has established advanced immunotherapy laboratories and advanced three experimental treatments for patient trials—an unusually rapid trajectory that reflects both the urgency of its mission and the flexibility made possible by philanthropic support.

Quarterly reporting and close collaboration between the Samueli Foundation and Beilinson leadership have created what Dr. Gal Markel describes as a rare alignment of vision and accountability.

“The first gift is built on shared dreams,” Markel noted in reflecting on the partnership. “The second is built on whether you’ve realized them.”

It is precisely this evolution—from aspiration to measurable achievement—that defines Samuelis’ broader history of giving.

Over several decades, Henry and Susan Samueli have deployed more than a billion dollars across education, medical research, Jewish communal life, and Israeli institutions, establishing one of the most quietly influential philanthropic portfolios in the United States and Israel.

Their approach has consistently favored depth over dispersion: large-scale, multi-year commitments to institutions capable of translating resources into systemic change.

In the United States, their name is synonymous with the University of California, Irvine, where the Henry Samueli School of Engineering stands as both a personal legacy and a strategic investment in the future of technology and innovation.

Their support has extended across campus, including significant contributions to health sciences and interdisciplinary research initiatives that bridge engineering and medicine.

Equally notable has been their leadership in Jewish and Israeli philanthropy.

Through the Samueli Foundation, they have supported educational programs, cultural initiatives, and scientific research across Israel, often with a focus on strengthening institutional capacity and advancing global competitiveness. Their giving reflects a dual commitment: to the vitality of Israeli society and to the universal advancement of knowledge.

Healthcare, however, has emerged as a defining pillar of their later philanthropy. The Samuelis have increasingly directed their resources toward institutions and initiatives that promise not only incremental improvements but paradigm shifts—particularly in cancer research and treatment. Their investment in Beilinson is among the most ambitious expressions of that focus, positioning the medical center as a global hub for integrative oncology.

What distinguishes this latest $50 million gift is not only its scale, but its strategic intent.

With this funding, we can recruit top scientific talent, accelerate clinical trials, and expand our technological infrastructure—including advanced AI that draws on one of the world’s most comprehensive health data sets—compressing years of development into months.

As Markel succinctly put it, “money is time.” In oncology, where time is often the most precious variable, that acceleration carries profound implications.

Yet the Samuelis’ ambitions extend well beyond a single institution. From the outset, they have defined success not merely in terms of internal breakthroughs but in the global adoption of the institute’s models and methodologies.

The goal is replication: to create a framework for integrative cancer care that can be implemented across Israel and exported internationally.

It is a characteristic Samueli approach—investing not only in excellence, but in scalability.

In this context, their latest gift is less a continuation than a culmination: it deepens a partnership that has already shown it can turn vision into measurable progress, and it reaffirms a philanthropic ethos grounded in long-term engagement.

For Henry and Susan Samueli, philanthropy has never been episodic. It is a sustained dialogue between donors and institutions, between ambition and accountability, and between innovation and humanity.

At Beilinson, that dialogue is now entering a new phase—one defined not by what might be possible, but by what has already begun to take shape.

And if their history is any indication, the implications will extend far beyond Petah Tikvah—reshaping not only how cancer is treated but also how philanthropic capital can accelerate the future of medicine itself.