James Shasha and the Hebrew University of Jerusalem
El complejo James J. Shasha en la Universidad Hebrea de Jerusalén simboliza su compromiso con la ciencia, la educación y el desarrollo social.
James Shasha was a philanthropist born in Baghdad, Iraq, in 1929, into a Sephardic Jewish family. His childhood was marked by a context of political and social tensions affecting Jewish communities in the Arab world. At the age of 15, he emigrated alone to the United States, an experience of uprooting that defined his character and strengthened his commitment to education, individual responsibility, and the building of resilient societies. Educated at Wesleyan University, where he graduated in Economics in 1950, he developed a multidisciplinary perspective on knowledge and its role in social development.
Over time, this vision translated into a strategic approach to philanthropy, understood as a tool for long-term transformation. From the late 1970s, and with greater intensity in the 1980s, Shasha began to support educational projects, think tanks, and community networks in various countries, including Israel.
His connection with the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, one of the most prestigious academic institutions in the world, became one of the most significant expressions of that commitment. There, he left a profound mark, promoting initiatives that combine academic excellence, applied research, and direct contribution to social well-being.
Hebrew University of Jerusalem
James Shasha’s bond with the Hebrew University of Jerusalem was solidified by his adherence to the institution’s founding values, his commitment to the State of Israel, and his conviction about the strategic role of higher education in social and scientific development.
The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, founded in 1918 and officially inaugurated in 1925, is one of the leading research universities in Israel and the world. Its main campus on Mount Scopus in Jerusalem houses faculties across multiple disciplines, with a strong emphasis on social sciences, public health, humanities, medicine, engineering, and technology.
In 1981, Shasha joined the network of Argentine Friends of the Hebrew University, an organization created to promote the university’s institutional and academic development from Latin America. From that moment, he initiated a systematic process of institutional support that intensified over the years.
In 1992, he championed the creation of the Shasha Center for Strategic Studies, an interdisciplinary academic space aimed at generating knowledge with direct application in public policy. The center conducts long-term research in key areas such as security, sustainability, technology, economics, and planning. Additionally, it promotes the design of prospective scenarios and the training of decision-makers in contexts of crisis and transformation.
That same year, the university honored him with an Honorary Member designation. In 2000, he received the title of Doctor Honoris Causa, an academic distinction awarded to individuals who stand out for their exceptional contribution to science, culture, or society. In this case, it was granted in recognition of his sustained commitment to applied research, education, and the strengthening of Israel as a knowledge society.
In 2018, the James J. Shasha Complex for Psychological Sciences was inaugurated on the Mount Scopus campus, a 2,016-square-meter infrastructure built as part of the departmental blocks of the Faculty of Social Sciences. The building, designed by architect Dan Eytan, incorporates a contemporary vision that integrates the urban landscape of Jerusalem with the functional needs of a high-level academic center.
The complex houses the university’s Department of Psychology, renowned for its scientific output and advanced training programs, as well as the GLOCAL program, an 18-month interdisciplinary master’s degree focused on international development and strengthening vulnerable communities.
The design of the space promotes academic collaboration and exchange among researchers, students, and professionals, with an emphasis on the study of human behavior, mental health, and social resilience.
The creation of this complex represents a synthesis of the guiding principles behind Shasha’s philanthropic actions: the promotion of knowledge, investment in educational infrastructure, and institutional strengthening with lasting social impact.
