The Canadian Friends of the Hebrew University is pleased to announce a major gift of over $5 million dollars from the estate of a Vancouver resident, to establish the IMRIC Hub for Addiction Research at Hebrew University. This gift upholds a tradition of exceptional philanthropic support and collaboration between our Canadian donors and The Hebrew University of Jerusalem.

The mission of the IMRIC Hub for Addiction Research is to bring about wiser policies, better care, and new treatment avenues for those struggling with addiction. This bold new program will focus on medical research relating to addiction, providing insights into the physical and chemical aspects of addiction, its prevention, and treatment. Such activity at Israel’s leading university will not only generate new research and outcomes, but also train future experts in this area, and share knowledge that will inform policy and decision makers.

A silent addiction epidemic affects over 615,000 (nearly 11%) adults in Israel. Similarly, in any given year, 1 in 5 Canadians experiences a mental illness or addiction problem. Addiction can include both substance addiction (alcohol, drugs, and other substances) and compulsive sexual behavior, problematic use of pornography, and problematic use of the internet. Moreover, addiction and mental health issues go hand in hand and must be addressed in tandem. Each year, addiction costs the Israeli economy approximately 7 billion NIS and causes untold peripheral damage to families and communities. The IMRIC Hub for Addiction Research will help bolster research, build a global network of scientists in the field, and will have implications for addiction treatment and policy worldwide.

For more information about the Research Addiction HUB please contact Dina Wachtel at vanc@cfhu.org.

Please consider making a donation to the IMRIC Hub for Addiction Research using the form below: