Jan Koum (IMAGE: X)
In a move that will likely make a big impact on the hospital’s ability to operate in Jerusalem, the co-founder of WhatsApp, Jan Koum, is giving $200 million to Shaare Zedek Medical Centre. The gift, from the Koum Family Foundation, will be used to build a new tower for the hospital that will also feature living quarters for medical personnel. The project is moving forward speedily in the city’s planning bodies, according to sources in Israel’s health system. Currently, Shaare Zedek has approximately 1,000 beds, and the expansion will substantially boost the hospital’s capacity.
The gift, which is valued at about $50 million, is the largest since the $180 million that was given in 2025 by Anat Harlap and Shmuel Harlap to Beilinson Hospital. Private charity has been growing in importance in Israel’s health-care system in general, and in this case, large-scale infrastructure projects in hospitals, especially those that are financed by donors from the United States and Jewish Americans, among others.
Jan Koum is a Ukrainian-American billionaire computer programmer, businessman and co-founder of WhatsApp, the world’s largest mobile messaging service. In 2014, he sold the company to Facebook for $22 billion, and is known for his “rags to riches” story of rising from an immigrant poorster to tech billionaire.
As per the Forbes, Jan Koum, the CEO and co-founder of WhatsApp, is believed to have a net worth of $17 billion as of May 2026. His fortune was made from the sale of WhatsApp to Facebook for US$19 billion in 2014.
Jewish-Ukrainian billionaire Jan Koum, who co-founded WhatsApp, has made a substantial contribution to Jerusalem, notably by investing generously in the city’s health care system and numerous organisations. In addition to the 2026 gift, Koum has been steadfastly involved in initiatives that foster Jewish identity, in particular in Jerusalem. He has also given to the Elad organisation (US fundraising arm) and the Central Fund of Israel, both with programs in Jerusalem.
With 13 years on the line, Ashish Kumar Singh loves everything when it comes to movies, music, travel and pop culture. Formerly employed at ANI, Pinkvilla, India Today and HT, Ashish has interviewed some of the top celebrities of India, including Shah Rukh Khan, Aamir Khan, Ranveer Singh, Ranbir Kapoor and Hrithik Roshan, among others. Breaking news excites him and deadlines are what he chases. Interviewing comes naturally to him. Hit him up at ashish.kumar02singh@gmail.com.
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