‘This is a contribution that doesn’t just impact education and biomedical research,” said TAU President Prof. Ariel Porat. “It has the potential to influence the entire healthcare system in Israel.”
Tel Aviv University recently announced that the Faculty of Medical & Health Sciences will be named after Mindy and Jon Gray, following a historic donation of $125 million (nearly half a billion shekels) – one of the largest donations ever made to an academic institution in Israel, and the largest ever received by Tel Aviv University. Jon Gray is the president and CEO of Blackstone, the world’s largest private equity firm, which manages over $1 trillion in assets.
In an interview, Porat explained how this gift will impact the university’s Faculty of Medical & Health Sciences, which already enrolls more medical students than any other institution in the country.
“We currently have 300 medical students per year,” Porat explained. “With this donation, we plan to increase that to 400, double the size of many of our peers. There’s no need to explain the national importance of producing more doctors in Israel.”
The university emphasizes that, especially in these challenging times, when the State of Israel is facing a brutal war and thousands of casualties, this generous donation carries immense national significance. It will strengthen the university’s Faculty of Medical & Health Sciences as a central driving force leading Israel’s healthcare system.
“The generous donation from the Gray family will enable us to make a true leap forward, both in medical education and research,” Porat said. “Since our Faculty of Medical & Health Sciences is the largest of its kind in Israel, the Gray family’s contribution will directly strengthen the healthcare system and advance biomedical research across the state.”
In a country where a shortage of physicians has long been a critical issue, this expansion comes at a pivotal moment. Beyond student capacity, the donation will fund state-of-the-art laboratories, top-tier research equipment, and full scholarships for students.
TAU also intends to use part of the donation to attract leading Israeli researchers who are currently abroad. “We’re in a very difficult period,” Porat noted. “More and more Israelis are questioning whether they see their future here. That affects all sectors, including academia.”
To counter this trend, TAU is doubling down on efforts to retain its faculty and bring back Israeli scholars from institutions like Stanford, Harvard, and MIT.
“We can’t offer the salaries they might get abroad. Academic pay here is regulated by law. But what we can do is offer world-class facilities and resources. That’s what brings people back, and helps them do great research once they’re here.”
Part of the donation is also being invested in building new student dormitories that prioritize medical students. Once completed, these dorms will generate an estimated $4 million in annual revenue for the Medical Faculty, creating a long-term funding pipeline. “It’s similar to an endowment,” Porat explained. “But in some ways, it’s even more effective.”
Increase the number of doctors in Israel
The origins of the donation trace back to a meeting Porat had six months ago with Jon Gray.“It was a warm and engaging meeting,” Porat recalled. “We presented several proposals. The one they [the Grays] ultimately chose was the most ambitious, supporting medicine and biomedical research.”
The Grays conducted extensive due diligence, sending a team to meet with TAU faculty, administrators, and students. After an on-site visit of their own, Mindy and Jon Gray decided to move forward. “They were very clear: They wanted to help increase the number of doctors in Israel,” said Porat. “They understood how critical that is, and so do we.”
Since Oct. 7, 2023, donor support for TAU has surged, particularly for initiatives helping IDF reservists and trauma victims. “We established a post-trauma center that now helps hundreds of soldiers and civilians each year,” Porat said. “Our support for reservist students is unmatched – financial, academic, and emotional. I don’t know of another university in the world doing what we are doing for our student-soldiers.”
But the Gray donation, Porat emphasized, is more than just financial. “It’s a vote of confidence in Tel Aviv University, in Israeli academia, and in the State of Israel itself. That’s why it moved us so much. It’s a powerful signal to other philanthropists that it’s worth investing in Israel’s academic future.”
A vision for research and care
Tel Aviv University’s Faculty of Medical & Health Sciences is poised for dramatic transformation following this historic gift. The donation will enable the university to gradually increase the number of students in health professions by several dozen percent, in fields such as nursing, speech-language pathology, audiology, physiotherapy, and occupational therapy.
“The gift is much more than a financial contribution,” said Prof. Karen Avraham, dean of the Gray Faculty of Medical & Health Sciences. “It’s a catalyst for systemic change – not just for our students but for the future of medicine in this country.”
The donation, described by faculty as “incredible,” has already set in motion a series of sweeping initiatives aimed at strengthening research infrastructure, expanding student access, and improving the quality of medical education in Israel. Avraham was quick to point out that the impact of the donation goes far beyond educating more physicians.
“We have cutting-edge research happening here – basic science, translational research, and clinical work in collaboration with our 18 affiliated hospitals and HMOs,” she explained. “This donation supports not only student education but the very foundation of our research ecosystem.”
One of the core goals is to train physician-scientists – doctors who also lead in scientific research. “When you have clinicians who understand the science behind their work, and researchers who understand clinical needs, that synergy leads to real breakthroughs,” she said.
The donation will allow the faculty to increase its intake by 100 medical students, a 25% growth. However, Avraham was clear: “We’re not just expanding – we’re improving. We’re committed to maintaining and even elevating the quality of education.”
This involves a significant investment in physical infrastructure. Renovations across the faculty will create new, smaller classrooms to support interactive and hybrid learning. “We can’t have students lost in the crowd,” she said. “Medical education is personal. That’s how you produce great doctors.”
A new biomedical building is also planned, which will bring researchers from across campus and the hospitals to support integrated research and learning.
A true academic community
Thanks to this new contribution, the faculty will also work to reduce social disparities and significantly increase the number of students from diverse population groups, such as Arabs, ultra-Orthodox Jews, Ethiopian Israelis, new immigrants, and residents of the periphery.
Among other initiatives, the donation will support the construction of a new dedicated dormitory building for students in the Gray Faculty of Medical & Health Sciences, with 600 beds, giving priority to minorities and underrepresented communities.
“We’re building new dormitories – finally,” said Avraham. “It’s going to create a true academic community, reduce commuting stress, and give students more time to focus on their studies.” Notably, revenue from the dorms will go back into the faculty, creating a sustainable funding model.
Financial accessibility is another key focus. “Tuition is relatively low, but rent, food, and daily life costs add up. Many of our students are older, with families, or they come from disadvantaged backgrounds,” Avraham explained.
Scholarships funded by the donation will target Arab students, Ethiopian students, and those from Israel’s geographic periphery.
The university has committed to doubling the number of Arab medical students, from 4% to 8%. “We’re still underrepresenting the population,” Avraham said. “And we’re not lowering the bar. We’re supporting these students so they can rise to meet it.”
She added that long-term change must start even earlier. “We need to go into high schools, identify where students are struggling – especially in entrance exams – and support them. That’s how we build real equity.”
The donation will also help improve stipends for graduate students working in labs. “Today, the average scholarship is about NIS 60,000 a year. That’s not enough to live on,” Avraham said. “As a result, we sometimes lose brilliant candidates. This funding allows us to offer competitive scholarships and keep the brightest minds here.”
She noted that interest in research is high. “I have five applicants for one spot in my lab. We’re looking for the best, and with this support we can give them the resources they need to succeed.”
Research on the front lines
Recent breakthroughs from the faculty include an AI tool for analyzing how cells in the body react to drug treatment, the development of a nanovaccine for melanoma, and new methods to combat antibiotic resistance.
“These are not abstract ideas. They’re real advances with real potential to impact patients,” said Avraham. “Now we can do even more.”
The dormitories, scholarships, research centers, and infrastructure upgrades are all part of a long-term vision. “This gift doesn’t just solve today’s problems,” Avraham stated. “It creates a sustainable future for the faculty and for Israeli medicine and the healthcare system as a whole.”
This article was written in cooperation with Tel Aviv University.
