April 14, 2005 | Read Time: 1 minute
An Israeli businessman who has produced dozens of Hollywood movies has pledged $100-million to establish a new university in northern Israel.
The film mogul, Arnon Milchan, 60, whose production company, Regency Enterprises, backed such box-office hits as Free Willy, JFK, L.A. Confidential, and the forthcoming Mr. and Mrs. Smith, will direct the new university’s fund-raising arm. He said during a news conference that his gift would not “be like a donation from an American Jew who just hands over a fat check and leaves — I’ll stay here and manage it.”
According to Forbes magazine, Mr. Milchan is worth $1-billion. In addition to being the heir to his father’s fortune — which he earned by laying irrigation systems in Israel — Mr. Milchan has also controlled 30 companies in 17 countries in a variety of industries, including agriculture, athletic apparel, chemical manufacturing, and weaponry.
The new university would be part of an effort to develop the Galilee, a region of northern Israel. According to a plan described at the news conference by several Israeli politicians, the university would coordinate the work of six colleges in the area and would open a new campus as well. Educators and political leaders in the region have been pushing to establish a university for several years. No date has been announced for the university’s opening.
Haim Watzman is a correspondent for The Chronicle of Higher Education.
