Leona and Harry Helmsley, billionaire real estate entrepreneurs who led lives
that included a prison sentence for tax evasion, continue to do good deeds for
Israel after their deaths.
The Leona M. and Harry B. Helmsley
Charitable Trust has granted the Hadassah Academic College a gift of $7.1
million to build an interdisciplinary science center at its campus in the center
of Jerusalem.
The seven-story, 5,350 square meter center will provide
state of the art classroom facilities for anticipated major student growth. The
building will also house a gallery for art, photography and cultural exhibits
and a 350-seat auditorium for college and community-wide
events.
Jerusalem Mayor Nir Barkat traveled to the US on behalf of the
municipality when he learned of interest at the charitable trust to donate to
the project.
After he presented the case for the importance of expanding
Hadassah Academic College and was given a positive response, Barkat stated this
week that “the expansion of Hadassah Academic College, now made possible through
the great generosity of the Helmsley Trust, is a strategically important and
deeply meaningful gift to Jerusalem. It strengthens the city by increasing the
young population and creates an engine for the growth of the sciences, one of
Jerusalem’s key economic drivers.”
Hadassah College’s board chairman
David Brodet said: “The new center strengthens the college’s presence and
academic impact in Jerusalem.”
Prof. Nava Ben-Zvi, outgoing president of
Hadassah Academic College, said: “The new Interdisciplinary Science Center will
serve as an enabler for our mission to educate well trained professionals for
Israel’s science and health-based sectors, and for attracting young men and
women to our city of Jerusalem.”
The trust supports a range of
organizations and institutions with a major focus on health and medical research
in addition to programs in human services, education, cultural access and
conservation.
Leona Helmsley, born Lena Mindy Rosenthal, was dubbed “the
Queen of Mean” due to her reputation in business. She survived her billionaire
third husband and died at the age of 87 five years ago. They owned luxurious
hotels, especially in New York City. She was convicted in 1989 on federal
charges of tax evasion. Her husband had been indicted along with her, but since
he was judged too ill and weak to stand trial, he was not sent to prison. Leona
was required to serve only 19 months in prison and two months under house arrest
despite a 16-year sentence.