AFHU News Spring 2023

PAGE 8
AMERICAN FRIENDS OF THE HEBREW UNIVERSITY
AFHU NEWS VOL. 30 PAGE 9
Anonymous, but Not Silent: A Savvy
Philanthropist Discusses the Hebrew
University and Israel
A supporter for more than four decades, a
special, anonymous donor to AFHU enjoys a
hands-on approach to philanthropy. “Support
for HU and Israel is a very personal issue for
me. Some may be content to provide financial
support alone, while others may be content with
direct involvement in the university’s work—I
prefer both.”
Our donor began his philanthropic relationship
with the Hebrew University through scholarship
support 40 years ago and recently made
a $1 million donation to Agrinnovation, the
underlying investment fund focused on
agricultural innovations. Launched in 2015 by
Yissum, the university’s technology-transfer
company, Agrinnovation invests in the research
breakthroughs developed at HU’s Robert H. Smith
Faculty of Agriculture, Food, and Environment,
working closely with university scientists and
researchers to thoroughly test the applicability
and scalability of each new discovery.
Over the years, this donor has funded innovative
work beyond agriculture and the environment,
including the medical research of Prof. Nataly
Kravchenko-Balasha, Chief Investigator in the
Laboratory of Biophysics and Cancer Research.
Prof. Kravchenko-Balasha analyzes the molecular
variations between cancerous tumors. Each
person’s cancer grows in its own way; exploring
the individual variations in cell growth can aid
in the development of tumor-specific drug
combinations tailored to fighting specific
malignancies.
Prof. Nataly Kravchenko-Balasha
Our donor has also supported the research
of Prof. Ofra Benny, Head of the Lab for
Nanomedicine and Tumor Microenvironment in
Hebrew University’s Faculty of Medicine. As the
Harry W. and Charlotte Ullman Labov Chair in
Cancer Studies and Director of the Fraunhofer
Project Center for Drug Discovery and Delivery,
Prof. Benny’s research focuses on novel therapies
and drug-delivery systems. By using an approach
which combines bioengineering, nanomedicine,
and theoretical models, her lab designs selective
nano-therapies for cancer targeting, including a
unique “tumor on a chip” for the development of
personalized cancer therapies. This technology
is the basis for a new start-up that will enable
healthcare professionals to select the optimal
medication for each patient.
Prof. Ofra Benny
Prof. Isaiah (Shy) Arkin’s research has also
benefited from our donor’s support. Prof. Arkin
is the Arthur Lejwa Professor of Structural
Biochemistry at the Hebrew University of
Jerusalem Institute of Life Sciences, Department
of Biological Chemistry, as well as HU’s former
Vice President for Research and Development. He
is the Founder and CEO of ViroBlock, a healthcare
solutions company developed with the support of
Yissum. ViroBlock targets and exploits a particular
vulnerability in viruses: ion channels. Channels
are critical components that enable viruses
to regulate salinity and acidity, so inhibiting
ion channels is a promising route to curbing a
virus’s ability to spread infection. ViroBlock has
used their findings to
develop rapid screening
approaches that can
identify inhibitors from
thousands of chemicals
in a matter of weeks
and has already shown
promising results in several
disease such as COVID-19,
Influenza, Zika, and others.
Prof. Isaiah (Shy) Arkin
Whether supporting start-up companies or
university-based research, our donor feels
that universities must look towards the future:
“My work with AFHU and HU is just one of
my charitable concerns. I like to be personally
involved, actively participating in promising projects.
Nonprofits need to think like—and act like—a
business in order to prosper. They can no longer rely
on annual contributions, but must engage in short-,
mid-, and long-term planning. Israel lacks natural
resources, except for the most important natural
resource: her people. HU and Israel must encourage
creativity, innovation, and the development of talent.
They need these skills to survive and thrive.”
Advantageous tax planning helps our donor
achieve charitable goals. Donations are made to
a tax deductible Donor Advised Fund (DAF), from
which distributions are directed to causes that
demonstrate a business mindset. It is important that
recipients operate with the goal of becoming selfsufficient
and self-perpetuating. “My philanthropy is
not limited to donating dollars but includes sharing
my business expertise.” While not every financial
need at the Hebrew University is suited for this type
of benefactor/recipient relationship, those that are
provide a win-win situation for this donor.
For those considering support for Hebrew
University, our donor shares: “Giving to HU
through American Friends of the Hebrew
University enables me to pursue my interests in
innovative agriculture, cancer diagnostics, and
cancer prevention. HU not only offers causes
worthy of support, but encourages a business
mindset that helps a good cause develop into a
self-sufficient and self-perpetuating business.
That’s a must—researchers must become
entrepreneurs and launch successful enterprises.”