According to The New York Post, an unnamed Columbia University graduate has donated $260 million to Bar-Ilan University, one of Israel’s largest colleges. The donor, a North American Jew, and World War II veteran, is claimed to be impressed by Bar-Ilan’s emphasis on science and technology.
The donation has prompted conjecture that the alumnus is dissatisfied with Columbia’s handling of the Israel-Hamas conflict. Some believe this is a message to the institution following recent anti-Israel protests on campus.
“It’s a smack in the face of Columbia. It’s just the beginning,” Hank Sheinkopf, a longtime political consultant, pro-Israel activist, and rabbi, told The Post.
The announcement was covered by e-JewishPhilanthropy.com.
Arie Zaban, President of Bar-Ilan University, stated that the donation will be utilized to promote “deep tech” sciences, which have the potential to dramatically impact Israel and the globe. The donation is one of the largest for an academic institution since James Simons’ $500 million donation to Stony Brook University last year.
The donation has sparked speculation about the ultra-wealthy donor’s identity. Given that he participated in WWII, he would be around 100 years old.
“The donor, a man of broad academic education, believed that the development of Israel’s technological resilience relies primarily on breakthrough science. During his visits to Israel, he recognised the significant impact Bar-Ilan University has made in key areas thanks to its science-based infrastructure and deep connections to all sectors of Israeli society,” Bar-Ilan president Arie Zaban said in a statement announcing the donation.