WhatsApp co-founder Jan Koum has donated $200 million to Jerusalem’s Shaare Zedek Medical Center, in what hospital officials described as the largest philanthropic gift in the history of Israel’s healthcare system.
The donation, made through the Jan Koum Family Foundation, will fund a major expansion of the 124-year-old hospital, including construction of a new medical tower and staff housing. In recognition of the gift, the hospital will be renamed Koum Shaare Zedek Medical Center.
The new 24-storey facility is expected to add about 1.5 million square feet of medical space and significantly expand Shaare Zedek’s capacity. The hospital currently has about 1,000 beds and is one of Jerusalem’s largest medical institutions. Reports said the expansion could eventually triple the hospital’s footprint.
Hospital officials said the project is designed to strengthen emergency preparedness and improve care in a region facing growing security and medical demands. The new tower is expected to include advanced inpatient facilities built to withstand developing regional threats.
Koum, a Ukraine-born Jewish billionaire, co-founded WhatsApp, which Facebook acquired in 2014. His Palo Alto-based foundation has supported a range of Jewish and Israeli causes in recent years.
The donation comes as Israeli hospitals increasingly rely on major private philanthropy to expand infrastructure, upgrade emergency capacity and respond to wartime pressures. Shaare Zedek has played a prominent role in treating patients during recent conflicts and emergencies in Jerusalem.
For the hospital, the gift represents a transformative investment. For Israel’s healthcare sector, it sets a new philanthropic benchmark and could reshape medical services in Jerusalem for decades.
