Mission
The mission of the Idan & Batia Ofer Family Foundation is to promote sustainable solutions to social issues. It does this by funding projects in the health, education, welfare, and arts and culture arenas, particularly projects that focus on children.
Supported Causes
The Idan & Batia Ofer Family Foundation supports a wide range of projects, causes, and organizations in Israel, the United Kingdom, and the United States.
Projects
Some of the foundation’s most significant projects include:
Medical Funding & Research
The foundation makes substantial donations to Ichilov Hospital in Tel Aviv. It has also been an ardent supporter of Professor Ronit Satchi-Fainaro, one of Israel’s leading female scientists, who has dedicated her life to cancer research.
Sammy Ofer Centre at London Business School
In 2013, the foundation donated $42 million to the London Business Schoo l, the single largest donation to an education institution in the UK. The donation was ultimately used to sponsor the construction of the Sammy Ofer Centre, named for Idan’s late father.
Harvard Kennedy School
The foundation made a significant donation to the Harvard Kennedy School in the form of yearly scholarships for Israeli Jewish and Arab students.
Bezalel Academy of Arts and Design
The foundation funded the construction of a new Art Wing at Bezalel Academy of Arts and Design, Israel’s most prestigious academic institution of art, design, and architecture.
Maritime Scholarship Fund
In 2021, the foundation helped fund a maritime scholarship fund in Singapore, pledging nearly $150,000 to provide academic scholarships to Singaporean students who wish to pursue maritime or shipping careers.
Ukrainian Evacuation
Following the Russian invasion of Ukraine, the foundation has funded the evacuation of 600 Ukrainian families to Varna, Bulgaria. The foundation has also provided clothing, food, medical supplies, and housing for them and is developing a school building so children can continue their education.
Royal Academy of Arts
Idan and Batia Ofer have been long-term supporters of The Royal Academy of Arts, sponsoring The Young Friends Membership and The 25 & Under Scheme, which provides access to half-price exhibition tickets to all visitors aged 16 to 25. Batia Ofer was honored by Royal Academy of Arts for her contribution in March 2023.
The Foundation's History
Idan Ofer is the son of the late shipping magnate Sammy Ofer. Following his father’s passing in 2011, Idan created a shipping dynasty in his own right. Not only is Idan an astute businessman, but he is a well-known philanthropist who has sponsored dozens of projects aimed at improving the lives of children around the world.
Batia Ofer is an active philanthropist and sits on many boards, including non-profit, arts, and education. She is a major supporter of the UK brand of Make-A-Wish Foundation. As part of her work with the Make-A-Wish Foundation, she established Art of Wishes, which focuses on the international art community, which has to date raised more than $11 million.
The couple founded the Idan & Batia Ofer Family Foundation, which focuses specifically on improving society through art and education initiatives. Both Idan and Batia are avid art collectors. In 2021, they were included among the Top 200 art collectors in the world by ARTnews magazine.