In 2007, Karen Davidson and her late husband, American Jewish philanthropist William Davidson, on behalf of Guardian Industries Corp. in Detroit, contributed a huge $75 million gift in support of a new hospital building at Hadassah Ein Kerem in Jerusalem. The donation is one of the largest ever made to a Jewish organization.
In recognition, the Board of Hadassah Women's Organization named the building after Mr. Davidson's mother, Sarah Wetsman Davidson, who was also one of the founders of the Hadassah branch in Detroit.
The announcement of the Davidson donation on behalf of "Guardian Industries Corp.," was made by a representative of the donors and the company during a ceremony held to mark the beginning of preparations for the new building on the Ein Kerem campus of the Hadassah Medical Center in Jerusalem. The ceremony was held to honor an outstanding delegation, led by Judy and Sidney Schwartz, each of whose delegates contributed at least a million dollars to the new hospital building at Hadassah. At the ceremony, then-President of Hadassah Women's Organization, Joan Walker, said that "The establishment of the new building is a vote of confidence for Jerusalem as Israel's capital. The heart and soul of the Jewish people".
Hadassah Ein Kerem's new hospital building was opened in 2012, the centennial anniversary of the founding of Hadassah Women's Organization in America. The cost of the 14-story building was close to 300 million dollars. It includes 500 beds, 50 of these being intensive care beds, 20 sophisticated operating rooms, as well as special areas used as "healing gardens". The new building will allow Hadassah to continue to develop its capabilities in many areas such as computer assisted surgery, advanced treatments in cardiology and neurosurgery, and minimally-invasive surgery.
At the aforementioned ceremony, the late William Davidson said "I was deeply impressed by the high level of quality medical care that Hadassah Medical Center provides to all citizens of Israel and the surrounding area, Jews, Christians and Muslims alike. I am proud and happy that my contribution will enable the hospital to establish a new hospital building."
Davidson noted that his family had experienced many years of close contact with Hadassah Women's Organization and the Hadassah Medical Center in Jerusalem, beginning in 1917, when Henrietta Szold, founder of Hadassah, was hosted at his mother's parents' home. "I am proud to continue in the path of my ancestors. It is a privilege for me to be the third generation of a Jewish family that supports Hadassah Women's Organization, which is so influential in the Jewish world," said Davidson.
William Davidson was President and CEO of "Guardian Industries Corp.," one of the largest manufacturers in the world of glass products for architecture and the car industry. Davidson was also the owner of the NBA team "Detroit Pistons", the WNBA team "Detroit Shock", and the NHL team "Tampa Bay Lightning".
Davidson contributed greatly to many organizations and institutions, including the University of Michigan, the Jewish Theological Seminary of America (JTS) in New York, the Schechter Institute of Jewish Studies in Jerusalem and the center of archaeological excavations at the Western Wall in Jerusalem (which also bears his name).