Early Life
Miriam Adelson was born Miriam Farbstein in Tel Aviv, Mandatory Palestine (present-day Israel), in 1945. Her parents were Holocaust survivors from Poland who had settled in Haifa. She attended the Hebrew Reali School and later served as a medical officer in the Israeli Defense Forces. She studied Microbiology and Genetics at Hebrew University of Jerusalem and earned a medical degree from Tel Aviv University's Sackler Medical School.
Rise to Success
Adelson began her medical career as a chief internist in the emergency department at Rokach (Hadassah) Hospital in Tel Aviv. In 1986, she pursued specialization in drug addiction at Rockefeller University in New York. In 1991, she married Sheldon Adelson. Together, they established the Adelson Family Foundation, supporting Jewish and Israeli causes, and the Dr. Miriam and Sheldon G. Adelson Research Clinic, focusing on addiction treatment and research. After Sheldon's death in 2021, Miriam inherited the majority ownership of Las Vegas Sands.
Key Business Strategies
Adelson's primary source of wealth is from casinos, particularly through her ownership of Las Vegas Sands. She has been involved in the operation and strategic direction of the company, which has resorts in the U.S. and Asia. She also acquired a majority stake in the Dallas Mavericks NBA team. In addition to her business ventures, Adelson is the publisher of Israel Hayom, a widely circulated newspaper in Israel.
Philanthropy
Adelson is known for her significant philanthropic contributions, primarily through the Adelson Family Foundation, which gives approximately $200 million annually to Jewish and Israeli causes. She has been a major supporter of Birthright Israel, Yad Vashem, and various U.S. groups fundraising for the Israeli military. Additionally, she has been a prominent donor to Republican candidates and conservative causes in the United States.