Amal mourns the passing of Morris Kahn
Amal Educational Network mourns the passing of the great Israeli philanthropist and visionary, Morris Kahn, who died yesterday at the age of 95. Born to a poor family in South Africa and struggling as a child with a stutter, Kahn immigrated to Israel and spent years as a “failed entrepreneur”, trying his hand at bicycle factories, glove manufacturing, and cattle farms long before the word “startup” existed. Almost by accident, while helping a friend create “Dapei Zahav” (Yellow Pages), he pioneered the computerization that would transform that simple directory into something no Israeli home could do without. The revolutionary system he developed became the foundation for Amdocs, which transformed global communications billing and made Kahn a billionaire close to age 60 – wealth he never sought but knew exactly how to use.
Once wealthy, Kahn devoted his fortune to a single mission: saving and improving human lives. He established an annual airlift of Israeli eye surgeons to Africa, restoring sight to thousands of children and adults blinded by trachoma. He founded “Save a Child’s Heart,” treating hundreds of children from around the world with life-threatening heart conditions. He funded cutting-edge medical research, supported Navy divers who fell ill serving their country, and channeled his resources to some 150 scientific, medical, educational, and humanitarian projects each year. His support for education was equally visionary, from creating the world’s first Underwater Observatory in Eilat, opening a hidden world to schoolchildren, to backing the Bereshit Lunar mission to inspire a new generation of Israeli students to reach for the stars.
Those who knew Morris Kahn describe a man of rare simplicity and infectious joy who preferred diving in the sea and riding horses to boardroom meetings, who traveled to the ends of the earth with boundless curiosity, and who refused to have buildings named after him. He often said his happiest days were the simplest: a tent on the beach in Eilat with his wife Jackie, the sea, and freedom.
His philosophy was beautifully straightforward: take as much as you can from life, give as much as you can to others, see and experience everything possible, and try not to lose yourself along the way. He lived by his own compass, not by convention, which made him a powerful example for young people across Israel, a proof that one can live boldly and joyfully while remaining deeply committed to others and to society.
Amal Educational Network bows its head in sorrow and extends condolences to his family. Morris Kahn’s legacy will continue to illuminate paths in science, medicine, and education, inspiring our students to see further, dare more, and understand that their talents carry responsibility toward others. Through every program that expands opportunity and opens windows to a wider world, his spirit will accompany us.