metro >> on the cover
Bill's Dreams
n
Live
Karen Davidson
safeguards her late
husband's legacy —
including Israel's
new Hadassah
Hospital tower.
Bill Carroll I Contributing Writer
The Sarah Wetsman Davidson Tower at
Hadassah-Hebrew University Medical
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1
Center at Ein Kerem, Israel, honors
involving other of Bill's business and phil-
anthropic interests, mainly the Weizmann
Institute of Science in Rehovot.
"I want to make sure Bill's philanthro-
pies are being taken care of properly:' she
said.
Actually, the tower, being built in four
phases, won't be completed until 2014, but
Hadassah officials wanted to hold dedica-
tion ceremonies while its members are
in Israel from around the world to attend
the 100th anniversary celebration of the
women's Zionist organization.
Karen and some family members were at
the tower medical facility in March when
patients started moving in for treatment.
"It was really heartwarming," she says. "Bill
would have been proud of the accomplish-
ment."
Jon Aaron of Bloomfield Hills, who is
Karen's son-in-law and chairman of the
Davidson Foundation, kept track of con-
struction during several trips to Israel. "It
was a great pleasure to witness the progress
and then be there to see the first patients
arrive," he said.
the mother of the late Bill Davidson
and Dorothy Gerson of Franklin. The
19-story tower, which rises high above
the campus, will be dedicated Oct. 14,
during Hadassah's 100th anniversary
celebration.
Karen and Bill Davidson in Israel
Tower Reaches 19 Stories
One patient, jokingly, told Aaron he was
conflicted. "He said he was eager to get
well and return home to his family," Aaron
related, "but he was so impressed and com-
fortable, he wanted to stay in the new room
and tower"
The tower is 19 stories high, with 14
10 October 11 . 2012
stories above ground and five stories below
for security reasons. There are 500 beds,
20 operating rooms, 60 intensive care units
and an ultra-modern heart institute.
Among the other features are stem-cell
treatment, gene therapy, use of robotics
and computer-guided surgery. Phases
One and Two, mainly the structure, are
completed; Phase Three is being worked
on, and Phase Four will start soon. Phases
Three and Four consist of operating rooms,
intensive care units and additional under-
ground work.
The Oct. 14 dedication will honor the
Davidsons and other major donors, and
an Oct. 16 program will honor all other
donors. An Oct. 18 event at the city's con-
vention hall will fete about 1,500 Hadassah
members in town for the centennial cel-
ebration.
Bill Davidson launched the project in
2007 with a $75 million gift from himself,
Karen and Guardian Industries Corp. of
Auburn Hills, the company that he nur-
tured into becoming one of the world's
largest manufacturers of automotive and
architectural glass, with $5 billion in annu-
al sales now.
Bill gave the $75 million directly to the
State of Israel to assure the tower would