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

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::"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."<ref>Erik Larsen, 'Parents in N.J. Pray for Israeli Soldier Son', ''Gannett News Service'', 3 August 2014, accessed 27 September 2014.</ref>   
 
::"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."<ref>Erik Larsen, 'Parents in N.J. Pray for Israeli Soldier Son', ''Gannett News Service'', 3 August 2014, accessed 27 September 2014.</ref>   
  
In September 2014 reality TV star and music producer [[Simon Cowell]] donated $150,000 dollars to the [[FIDF]].<ref>Andrea Peyser, 'Stars of David Win', ''The New York Post'', 4 August 2014, accessed 27 September 2014.</ref>  
+
In September 2014 reality TV star and music producer [[Simon Cowell]] donated $150,000 dollars to the [[FIDF]].<ref>Andrea Peyser, 'Stars of David Win', ''The New York Post'', 4 August 2014, accessed 27 September 2014.</ref> Cowell had previously donated $50,000 to the organisation when he attended the Friends of the IDF Western Region Gala in Beverly Hills in October 2013.<ref>Ben Hartman, Jerusalem Post staff, Khaled Abu Toameh, 'News in brief', ''Jerusalem Post'', 17 November 2013, accessed 27 September 2014.</ref>
 
 
  
 
The Western Region/Los Angeles chapter of the Friends of the Israel Defense Forces ([[FIDF]]) sponsor an annual 'Saving Lives Gala' to raise funds for the [[FIDF]].<ref>Eagles\'Wings Ministries, 'Robert Stearns to Address Prestigious FIDF Gala', ''Christian Newswire'', 31 March 2014, accessed 27 September 2014.</ref> A gala held in New York in March 2014 and attended by IDF Chief of Staff Lt.-Gen. [[Benny Gantz]] raised around $20 million dollars. The event was co-hosted by Fox News commentator [[Monica Crowley]]. The gala is held annually and at the 2014 event a video message from Binyamin Netanyahu was screened in which he thanked the FIDF for its support for the Israeli army:
 
The Western Region/Los Angeles chapter of the Friends of the Israel Defense Forces ([[FIDF]]) sponsor an annual 'Saving Lives Gala' to raise funds for the [[FIDF]].<ref>Eagles\'Wings Ministries, 'Robert Stearns to Address Prestigious FIDF Gala', ''Christian Newswire'', 31 March 2014, accessed 27 September 2014.</ref> A gala held in New York in March 2014 and attended by IDF Chief of Staff Lt.-Gen. [[Benny Gantz]] raised around $20 million dollars. The event was co-hosted by Fox News commentator [[Monica Crowley]]. The gala is held annually and at the 2014 event a video message from Binyamin Netanyahu was screened in which he thanked the FIDF for its support for the Israeli army:

Revision as of 15:17, 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 encourages 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]

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]

In September 2014 reality TV star and music producer Simon Cowell donated $150,000 dollars to the FIDF.[8] Cowell had previously donated $50,000 to the organisation when he attended the Friends of the IDF Western Region Gala in Beverly Hills in October 2013.[9]

The Western Region/Los Angeles chapter of the Friends of the Israel Defense Forces (FIDF) sponsor an annual 'Saving Lives Gala' to raise funds for the FIDF.[10] A gala held in New York in March 2014 and attended by IDF Chief of Staff Lt.-Gen. Benny Gantz raised around $20 million dollars. The event was co-hosted by Fox News commentator Monica Crowley. The gala is held annually and at the 2014 event a video message from Binyamin Netanyahu was screened in which he thanked the FIDF for its support for the Israeli army:

"Our army is a complement to Israel's sovereignty... There are those who seek to extinguish our lives. Anti-Semitism always changes its garland. But we have resolved to fight back. Thank you for helping the IDF fight back and secure a Jewish future."[11]

Another gala event held in Florida in March 2014 raised more than $3.3 million for the organisation. [12]


People

National Director and CEO - Maj. Gen (Res.) Yitzhak (Jerry) Gershon

Chief Executive Officer - Mr. Alan E. Scholnick

Chief Financial Officer - Ron Aloni

Director of Operations and Special Events - Michael Sever


National Board Members:

Nily Falic - Chairman *
Arthur Stark - Chairman Emeritus *
Larry J. Hochberg - Chairman Emeritus *
Marvin Josephson - Chairman Emeritus
Marc Jason - Vice Presidents *
Dr. Michael Kalisman - Vice Presidents *
Morris Silverman - Secretary *
Stephen Wayne Rubin, Esq - Legal Counsel *
Ricki Alon
Harvey Axelrod
Gary Balter
Sammy Bar-Or
Ronny Ben-Josef
Scott Black
Alan Brody
Robert Cohen
Ruth & Leo David
Oscar Feldenkreis
Tony Felzen
William Fox
Al Frank
Pat Frank
Martin E. Franklin
Erika Glazer
Fred Gluckman *
Harry Gross *
Daniel J. Hyman
Jerry Kaplan
Dr. Shmuel Katz
Shari Kaufman
Alon Kaufman
Jared Kushner
Richard Kwal
Avi Lerner
Israel Levy
Nathan Lewinger
Dr. Herbert London
Nicole Lowenstein
Gerald Mizel
Sam Moshe
Michael Nachman
Jorde Nathan
Soraya Nazarian
Younes Nazarian
Ann Newman
Melinda Lowell Paltrow
Marc Perlman
Robert Polak
Peter Reisman
Israel Roizman
Tony Rubin
Haim Saban *
Monica Sasson
Steve Schultz
Robin Selati
Benny Shabtai
Fela Shapell
David Shapell
Gary Shiffman
Dr. Robert Shillman
Joseph Sieber
Ron Simms
Norman Smith
Garry Sobel
Lloyd Sokoloff
Rabbi Peter Weintraub
Zev Weiss
Michael Werner
Dr. Phillip Werthman
David Wiener
Shahram Yaghoubzadeh
Ofer Yardeni
Robert Zarnegin
Arie Zweig
  • National Executive Committee Member[13]

Funding and finances

In 2012 the total assets of the organisation amounted to $126,649,916[14]

Notes

  1. 'About FIDF', Friends of the Israel Defence Forces Website, accessed 17 September 2014
  2. Gil Ronen and Tova Dvorin, 'New Wave of Olim Inspired by Fallen Lone Soldiers', Arutz Sheva 7, 7 August 2014, accessed 27 September 2014.
  3. 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.
  4. Sharon Udasin, Lidar Grave-Lazi, Lahav Harkov, Judy Seigel, and Ben Hartman, 'News in Brief', Jerusalem Post, 7 August 2014, accessed 27 September 2014.
  5. Jacob Goldtsein, 'Comedians bring laughs to the front lines', Jerusalem Post, 3 August 2014, accessed 27 September 2014.
  6. 'Comedians bring laughs to the front lines', Jpost.com, 2 August 2014, accessed 27 August 2014.
  7. Erik Larsen, 'Parents in N.J. Pray for Israeli Soldier Son', Gannett News Service, 3 August 2014, accessed 27 September 2014.
  8. Andrea Peyser, 'Stars of David Win', The New York Post, 4 August 2014, accessed 27 September 2014.
  9. Ben Hartman, Jerusalem Post staff, Khaled Abu Toameh, 'News in brief', Jerusalem Post, 17 November 2013, accessed 27 September 2014.
  10. Eagles\'Wings Ministries, 'Robert Stearns to Address Prestigious FIDF Gala', Christian Newswire, 31 March 2014, accessed 27 September 2014.
  11. Maya Shwayder, 'FIDF raises $20 million at New York gala', Jerusalem Post, 13 March 2014, accessed 27 September 2014.
  12. 'She Said Yes', Jerusalem Post, 2 March 2014, accessed 27 September 2014.
  13. 'Our Board', "Friends of the Israel Defence Forces Website", accessed 17 September 2014
  14. Friends of the Israel Defence Forces Financial Statements and Auditor's Report December 31 2012, accessed 17 September 2014