Helmsley Charitable Trust Donates $5.45M for New Medical Digital Building at Holon Institute of Technology in Israel

Helmsley Charitable Trust Donates $5.45M for New Medical Digital Building at Holon Institute of Technology in Israel

Strengthening HIT programs that train new generations of future physicians and health technologists who will advance Israel’s digital health system through medical technologies, artificial intelligence, education and research.

Edited by: TJVNews.com

The Leona M. and Harry B. Helmsley Charitable Trust today announced a $5.45 million grant to build a cutting-edge Medical Technologies Building at the Holon Institute of Technology (HIT) in Israel.

Support from Helmsley is a critical step toward educating the next generation of healthcare professionals in the country. The money will serve as a catalyst for the Holon Institute of Technology’s far-reaching and unique multidisciplinary programs in medical technologies, education and research, and artificial intelligence.

The 77,000-square-foot building, to be named for Helmsley, will feature six floors of state-of-the-art classrooms, lecture halls, applied research laboratories, specialized design studios, and innovation center.

The building’s design, featuring aluminum and glass with a curved roof, will make it an iconic structure on HIT’s 56-year-old campus.

“Helmsley is committed to supporting the Holon Institute of Technology in educating young people, bolstering Israel’s healthcare system, and expanding opportunities for students who want to enter the fields of science, applied mathematics, engineering, and so much more,” said Sandor Frankel, a Trustee of the Helmsley Charitable Trust.

“One of Helmsley’s top priorities is to strengthen the healthcare system in Israel so everyone there has access to quality services,” said Frankel. “Investing in HIT’s vision is an important step toward that goal.”

What the grant will fund

The $19.6 million project, also supported by Israel’s Council for Higher Education,  is expected to be completed in 2027 and will ultimately provide HIT with enough classroom space to accommodate at least 850 students, along with meeting rooms and a large public event space.

The Institute plays a unique role in Israel’s higher education system, serving roughly 6,000 students from 384 different cities, towns and villages, with 40% of students the first generation of their families earning academic degrees, and one-fifth from disadvantaged communities

“In this era of technological transformation in healthcare, HIT stands at the forefront of preparing tomorrow’s medical technology pioneers,” Professor Eduard Yakubov, President of HIT, said. “Our collaboration with the Helmsley Charitable Trust enables the creation of an unparalleled home for excellence that will elevate healthcare education, research, and practice throughout Israel.”

 

 

 

Prof. Yakubov said Helmsley’s support of Holon Institute of Technology initiatives in digital health is not only an endorsement of the importance of the unique initiative but also affirms the Institute’s position as a global leader in applied research and education in medical technologies.

Helmsley dedicates its philanthropic efforts to advancing health, education, and innovation in the United States, Israel, and elsewhere throughout the world. With support from Helmsley, the HIT’s campus-based facilities and remote outreach programs will help meet the pressing challenges of healthcare services throughout Israel, he added.

The funding will fuel the Institute’s comprehensive ecosystem of groundbreaking programs across the medical technology spectrum, including digital health innovations, advanced medical imaging, clinical technologies, and healthcare analytics.

Training the next generation

The new building will consolidate under one roof the diverse medical technology programs currently spread across the 13-acre, Holon campus in the Tel Aviv metropolitan area.

HIT is particularly focused on patient-centered healthcare to address Israel’s growing elderly, chronically ill, remotely distanced, and vulnerable populations. As a result, there is an urgent need to train new generations of physicians and health technologists who will be able to navigate and advance Israel’s digital health system – including new AI experts, algorithm designers, health data analysts, medical device designers, laboratory clinicians, and telemedicine specialists.

The new facility will provide a nexus between academia, industry, and health organizations. Doctors, public health officials, scientists, and technologists will be able to interact and enrich students’ education, inspiring innovations to meet the needs of hospitals, HMOs, and the medical industry.

In particular, the uniqueness of the Digital Medical Technologies Department is the integration between diverse disciplines, including design, engineering, medical industrial engineering and technologies management, computer science, and data science. Strategic partnerships with Israel’s premier medical centers and HMOs serve to inspire future innovators to enhance healthcare delivery through technological advancements.

The department’s prestigious bachelor of science program offers specialized tracks in pre-med and health analytics, preparing graduates for leadership roles in the medical technology sectors and providing a firm technological basis for continuation to four-year doctoral programs.

About the Holon Institute of Technology

The Holon Institute of Technology (HIT), founded in 1969, is a premier academic institution of higher education granting B.Sc. and M.Sc. programs in science, engineering, technology, and design. Its over 21,000 alumni assume leading positions in Israel’s high tech and business sectors.

In the more than half century since it was established, HIT has come to be known both for its academic excellence, applied research focus and strong engagement with industry.  Embracing a profound multidisciplinary approach and an unwavering commitment to community, HIT’s students, faculty and researchers have had a transformative impact on Israel’s economy, health systems and security.

About the Helmsley Charitable Trust

The Leona M. and Harry B. Helmsley Charitable Trust aspires to improve lives by supporting exceptional efforts in the U.S. and around the world in health and select place-based initiatives. Since beginning active grantmaking in 2008, Helmsley has committed more than $4.5 billion for a wide range of charitable purposes, including $700 million for grants in Israel. For more information on Helmsley and its programs, visit helmsleytrust.org.