(JTA) — An auction of jewels belonging to billionaire Lily Safra raised nearly $38 million for charity.
The auction, Jewels For Hope: The Collection of Mrs. Lily Safra, was held Monday at Christie’s Geneva. A 32-carat Burmese ruby and diamond ring sold for $6.7 million, a world record for a ruby sold at auction, Forbes reported. In all, 70 pieces of jewelry were sold.
Proceeds were set to go to 32 charitable organizations through The Lily Safra Foundation. Among the organizations are ALEH: Caring for Israel’s Disabled; A Computer for Every Child, Israel; the Edmond and Lily Safra Center for Brain Sciences at The Hebrew University of Jerusalem; the Edmond and Lily Safra Children’s Hospital in Tel Hashomer, Israel; and the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra.
Safra is the widow of Lebanese banker Edmond Safra, who died in 1999. She has a net worth of $1.2 billion, according to Forbes’ most recent listing of the world’s wealthiest individuals.
