4 Israeli institutions receive cash awards

JERUSALEM (Press Release)–The Helmsley Charitable Trust has announced more than $9.6 million dollars in grants to four Israeli institutions. These grants are part of a continuing effort to invest in Israel’s leading institutions and critical initiatives toward the goal of strengthening Israel as a successful and secure nation.

Since the Helmsley Charitable Trust began awarding grants to Israel in 2009, over $131.8 million has been committed to a wide range of charitable organizations in Israel.

“These grants demonstrate our continuing philanthropic approach toward Israel,” said Helmsley trustee Sandor Frankel. “They strengthen Israel’s scientific, technological and medical research, benefiting the nation’s top tier institutions and academics. They also help to solve problems leading the global agenda. These grants will support Israeli innovation so it will continue to make Israel and the rest of the world a healthier and safer place for all.”

In addition, said Frankel, “The Trust is funding the publication of a monograph which will provide a fact-based historical record of the 2014 Gaza war to high-level audiences and the public, correcting misrepresentations of Israeli actions and thus accurately supporting Israel’s image in the world as a free and democratic nation defending its citizens.”

Following is a breakdown of the October 2014 grants:

Technion – Israel Institute of Technology: Environmental Health & Engineering

This $1,500,000 grant to Technion – Israel Institute of Technology, will allow scientists to further develop Israel’s scientific, technological and practical knowledge in land and water utilization and resources, expertise for which Israel has become world-renowned, while helping China cope with its environmental challenges. This grant will allow the Technion and south China’s Shantou University to collaborate on field studies in China and train Chinese post-doctoral students studying pollution solutions at Technion in Haifa. The award will also support the Technion’s growing collaborations with scientists in China.

The Hebrew University of Jerusalem: Biomedical Sciences

This $2,236,000 grant provides funding to support the recruitment of science faculty at The Hebrew University in Jerusalem by providing world-class laboratories for neurobiology and structural biology research. The funds will strengthen the university as a pioneer in research and innovation by attracting world-class talent, competitive resources such as premier laboratories, equipment, research funds and other resources conducive to elite research and teaching environments.

The Weizmann Institute of Science: Molecular Cell Biology & Biological Chemistry

The Weizmann Institute has been awarded two grants totaling $5,736,400. Three and one-half million dollars to the Department of Biomedical Sciences will be used to create new patient-specific diagnostic tools that can simulate the inherent complexity of Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis to guide therapeutic discovery. There is of yet no known cure for IBD, a serious condition that is prevalent among Jews of Ashkenazi descent. A $2,000,000 grant to the Department of Biological Chemistry will support the purchase, customization and installation of a powerful superconducting magnet to provide researchers with unprecedented magnetic resonance imaging capabilities that have the potential to advance scientific understanding of the natural world and human physiology in health and disease.

The Jerusalem Center for Public Affairs: Education

The Jerusalem Center for Public Affairs (JCPA), in conjunction with the Center for Jewish Community Studies (CJCS), has been awarded $191,000 to prepare an unbiased, educational report that accurately details what transpired before and during the 2014 Gaza war. The report will be distributed widely to educate governments and the media on facts about the 2014 conflict between Hamas and Israel.

The Leona M. and Harry B. Helmsley Charitable Trust aspires to improve lives by supporting effective nonprofits in health, place-based initiatives, and education and human services. Since 2008, when the Trust began its active grantmaking, it has committed more than $1 billion to a wide range of charitable organizations. The Trust’s grantmaking program in Israel supports leading institutions and initiatives that seek to strengthen the nation’s leadership in scientific, technological and medical research, its health care preparedness, and its standing in the world.

Preceding provided by the Helmsley Charitable Trust,  www.helmsleytrust.org.