Difference between revisions of "Friends of the Israel Defense Forces"

Revision as of 13:13, 27 September 2014

Founded in the United States in 1981, Friends of the Israel Defence forces (FIDF) is an American non-profit organisation devoted to providing various forms of support to Israeli soldiers. Its headquarters is based in New York and it is the US branch of the Israel based organisation the Association for the Wellbeing of Israel's Soliders. The organisation provides the following description of its activities on its webpage: ^[1]

FIDF initiates and helps support educational, social, cultural and r:ecreational programs and facilities for the young men and women soldiers of Israel who defend the Jewish homeland. FIDF also supports the families of fallen soldiers.

FIDF encouragesr Jews outside of Israel to serve in the IDF. According to an article in Arutz Sheva 7:

"About 2,800 lone soldiers from around the world - 800 of them from the US - serve in the IDF, and about 900 enlist every year. Most of them are assisted and guided by the Lone Soldiers Program that was jointly initiated by Nefesh B'Nefesh and FIDF, which accompanies lone soldiers' absorption into the IDF and the state of Israel...The soldiers are eligible for financial assistance, personal accompaniment and guidance, and gift packages every three months. Upon their discharge from the IDF, thay are offered guidance on selecting their field of employment and studies, as well as work placement." ^[2]

The FIDF has provided figures according to which some 2,500 IDF soldiers are non-Israeli with the largest contingent, of 740 soldiers, from the United States.^[3]

The group Friends of the IDF reports more than 2,500 of them are lone soldiers representing 60 countries, with the largest number, 740, from the United States.

During Operation Protective Edge in 2014 the Association for the Wellbeing of Israel's Soldiers received some NIS 2.5m from various supporting organisations including FIDF. ^[4] During the conflict the FIDF organised a comedy event led by New York comedians Ari Teman, Danny Cohen and Benji Lovitt at an Iron Dome missile battery with the proceeds of the event going to FIDF. ^[5] The event was part of the comedy troupe's Rocket Shelter Comedy tour, with the catchphrase, "Stuck in a bomb shelter? We'll come to you." ^[6]

In August 2014 Howard Gases, director of the New Jersey Chapter of Friends of the IDF commented in reference to the lone soldiers programme that:

"Over the years, people realize that they need to support the IDF... For a strong Israel to survive, we need a strong military and a happy military."^[7]

@@ Line 3: / Line 3: @@
 ::FIDF initiates and helps support educational, social, cultural and r:ecreational programs and facilities for the young men and women soldiers of Israel who defend the Jewish homeland. FIDF also supports the families of fallen soldiers.
-FIDF encourages aliyah for Jews outside of Israel who wish to serve in the IDF. According to an article in [[Arutz Sheva 7]]:
+FIDF encouragesr Jews outside of Israel to serve in the IDF. According to an article in [[Arutz Sheva 7]]:
 ::"About 2,800 lone soldiers from around the world - 800 of them from the US - serve in the IDF, and about 900 enlist every year. Most of them are assisted and guided by the Lone Soldiers Program that was jointly initiated by Nefesh B'Nefesh and FIDF, which accompanies lone soldiers' absorption into the IDF and the state of Israel...The soldiers are eligible for financial assistance, personal accompaniment and guidance, and gift packages every three months. Upon their discharge from the IDF, thay are offered guidance on selecting their field of employment and studies, as well as work placement." <ref>Gil Ronen and Tova Dvorin, 'New Wave of Olim Inspired by Fallen Lone Soldiers', ''Arutz Sheva 7'', 7 August 2014, accessed 27 September 2014.</ref>
+The [[FIDF]] has provided figures according to which some 2,500 IDF soldiers are non-Israeli with the largest contingent, of 740 soldiers, from the United States.<ref>Erin Burnett, 'Rebels Hand Over MH17 Black Boxes To Investigators; Death Toll Climbing in the Middle East; Interview With Rep. Eliot Engel', ''CNN'', 21 July 2014, accessed 27 September 2014.</ref>
+The group Friends of the IDF reports more than 2,500 of them are lone soldiers representing 60 countries, with the largest number, 740, from the United States.
 During Operation Protective Edge in 2014 the [[Association for the Wellbeing of Israel's Soldiers]] received some NIS 2.5m from various supporting organisations including [[FIDF]]. <ref>Sharon Udasin, Lidar Grave-Lazi, Lahav Harkov, Judy Seigel, and Ben Hartman, 'News in Brief', ''Jerusalem Post'', 7 August 2014, accessed 27 September 2014.</ref> During the conflict the [[FIDF]] organised a comedy event led by New York comedians [[Ari Teman]], [[Danny Cohen]] and [[Benji Lovitt]] at an Iron Dome missile battery with the proceeds of the event going to [[FIDF]]. <ref>Jacob Goldtsein, 'Comedians bring laughs to the front lines', ''Jerusalem Post'', 3 August 2014, accessed 27 September 2014. </ref> The event was part of the comedy troupe's Rocket Shelter Comedy tour, with the catchphrase, "Stuck in a bomb shelter?  We'll come to you." <ref>'Comedians bring laughs to the front lines', ''Jpost.com'', 2 August 2014, accessed 27 August 2014. </ref>

Difference between revisions of "Friends of the Israel Defense Forces"

Revision as of 13:13, 27 September 2014

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