Friends of the Israel Defense Forces

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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 aliyah for Jews outside of Israel who wish 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]

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. [3] 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. [4] 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." [5]

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."[6]

In September 2014 reality TV star and music producer Simon Cowell donated $150,000 dollars to the FIDF.[7]

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[8]

Funding and finances

In 2012 the total assets of the organisation amounted to $126,649,916[9]

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. Sharon Udasin, Lidar Grave-Lazi, Lahav Harkov, Judy Seigel, and Ben Hartman, 'News in Brief', Jerusalem Post, 7 August 2014, accessed 27 September 2014.
  4. Jacob Goldtsein, 'Comedians bring laughs to the front lines', Jerusalem Post, 3 August 2014, accessed 27 September 2014.
  5. 'Comedians bring laughs to the front lines', Jpost.com, 2 August 2014, accessed 27 August 2014.
  6. Erik Larsen, 'Parents in N.J. Pray for Israeli Soldier Son', Gannett News Service, 3 August 2014, accessed 27 September 2014.
  7. Andrea Peyser, 'Stars of David Win', The New York Post, 4 August 2014, accessed 27 September 2014.
  8. 'Our Board', "Friends of the Israel Defence Forces Website", accessed 17 September 2014
  9. Friends of the Israel Defence Forces Financial Statements and Auditor's Report December 31 2012, accessed 17 September 2014