Israeli billionaire and philanthropist Morris Kahn dies at 96
His philanthropic legacy includes projects such as LEAD, the therapeutic riding farm, Save a Child’s Heart, life sciences ventures, and Israel’s Underwater Observatory in Eilat.
Morris Kahn, a pioneering Israeli entrepreneur and philanthropist, passed away Thursday at the age of 96.
Born in South Africa in 1930, Kahn immigrated to Israel at 26 with his wife Jacqueline and their two children, and became a key figure in shaping Israel’s high-tech and entrepreneurial landscape.
Kahn was a founding partner of Amdocs, the global technology company, and spearheaded numerous initiatives in education, medicine, social programs, and science.
His philanthropic legacy includes projects such as LEAD, the therapeutic riding farm, Save a Child’s Heart, life sciences ventures, and Israel’s Underwater Observatory in Eilat. He was also the driving force behind SpaceIL, the private Israeli spacecraft that made history by reaching the Moon.
Despite his success, Kahn remained deeply committed to education and youth, often stating that his greatest investments were in people, not just ventures. In recent years, he voiced concern over societal divisions in Israel and championed connection, dialogue, and empowerment of the younger generation.
His enduring message to future generations was: “Be good to one another, we have nowhere else to go from here.”
Kahn’s vision and initiatives have left a lasting mark on Israel and the world, cementing his reputation as one of the country’s most influential entrepreneurs and philanthropists.