The American Committee for the Weizmann Institute of Science (ACWIS) has announced major gifts from four Detroit-area philanthropists in support of programs and initiatives at the Weizmann Institute of Science in Rehovot, Israel.
The gifts will establish or bolster contributor-named centers and institutes that extend the capacity of Weizmann’s scientific research initiatives in global health, medicine, and science education. No gift amounts were disclosed.
A gift from the William Davidson Foundation, a longtime contributor to the Weizmann Institute, includes endowment funds for the Davidson Institute of Science Education. A gift from Martha Darling and her husband, Weizmann Institute board member Gilbert Omenn, will establish a named fund in support of the institute’s collaboration with Schneider Children's Medical Center of Israel. A gift from Ira S. Mondry, president of the Ira and Gail Mondry Foundation, will create a discretionary fund—named in honor of his family—to provide Weizmann’s leadership with broad flexibility to address gaps in grantmaking, cover unexpected needs, or respond to medical crises. A gift from the Andrea L. and Lawrence A. Wolfe Family Foundation will fund a named center for neuroimmunology research at Weizmann’s Azrieli Institute for Brain and Neural Science—established in 2021 with a $50 million gift from the Azrieli Foundation.
“The Wolfe Center…will be a launching pad for cutting-edge research, opening up exciting possibilities for investigating the causes and pathways of complex human neuroinflammation, and for discovering potential treatments that could transform the lives of millions of people around the world,” said Wolfe Foundation trustee Lawrence Wolfe.
“[These] visionary donors…are helping to make the impossible possible,” said ACWIS chief executive Dave Doneson. “Their significant, big-hearted gifts are critically important and will have a tremendous impact on brain and neural research, science education, pediatric health advancements, and other multidisciplinary research that will ultimately provide life-changing discoveries and a healthier world for all.”
