Bar-Ilan University receives $260 million donation for tech investment

Bar-Ilan University has received a $260 million anonymous donation earmarked for science and technology development, the university says in a press release.

The donation is “the largest bequest ever to Bar-Ilan University, and one of the largest donations ever made to an Israeli university,” the university says.

“We have a significant undertaking ahead of us. Today, more than ever, Israel needs science-based technological resilience, the essential element of all future innovations. This is key to a thriving society and economy. Bar-Ilan is thrilled that this gift will allow us to make a meaningful investment in strengthening Israel’s technological resilience,” says Bar-Ilan president, Prof. Arie Zaban.

The donor, whose name was not revealed to the public, was a Jewish North American and graduate of Columbia University who served in World War II, the university says.

The donation is “a direct donation to Bar-Ilan in the anonymous donor’s will,” the university spokesperson’s office tells The Times of Israel.

The donor “saw Israel as a safe haven for the Jewish people and was committed to its economic and social stability. He chose Bar-Ilan University as the research institution best able to undertake the great task of expanding science-based technological resilience in Israel,” the press release states.

Bar-Ilan plans to use the funds to recruit researchers and students in cutting-edge science fields, build research laboratories and innovation hubs, and create partnerships with outside organizations and bodies in various sectors to develop “science-based solutions” to Israel’s various challenges, the university says.