OVER 1,100 YOUNG LA LEADERS WILL HOLD ‘ROARING ‘20S’ BENEFIT TO SUPPORT ISRAEL’S SOLDIERS

More than 1,100 young professionals from across greater Los Angeles will gather on March 12 at a historic downtown LA venue for the Friends of the Israel Defense Forces (FIDF) Young Leadership (YL) LA Roaring ‘20s Old Hollywood Gala to support the well-being of Israel Defense Forces (IDF) soldiers and honor the legacy of Zev Karkomi.

Born in Ukraine, Karkomi escaped the Holocaust and moved to Israel in 1941, where he joined Israel’s fight for independence as a member of the Haganah, later serving as a captain in the IDF. He moved to Chicago in 1960, where, despite his modest means, he was able to build a thriving business and soon became a major supporter of FIDF. His grandson, FIDF National Board Member and Western Region Vice President Ari Ryan, co-founded FIDF’s Young Leadership Division in LA to continue Karkomi’s legacy.

“LA’s FIDF Young Leadership Division is more successful than ever. Over the last decade more than 5,000 young LA professionals have attended our events and raised an extraordinary amount of funds to support Israel’s brave soldiers,” said Ryan, who is chairing the gala for the ninth year. “I am extremely proud of our continued growth and to be working with some of the most passionate and philanthropic young professionals in the country.”

The ‘20s-themed gala, which is one of LA’s premier young leadership fundraising events, will feature gourmet food, live music, casino-style games, and offer more than $90,000 in luxury prizes – including jewelry, sports memorabilia, hotel stays, and contemporary art. Presiding as the evening’s master of ceremonies will be The Tonight Show regular, actor and comedian Dan Ahdoot.

The funds raised at this event will support FIDF well-being and educational programs for IDF soldiers, including: the IMPACT! Program, which grants full academic scholarships to IDF combat veterans; the Lone Soldiers Program, which supports soldiers with no immediate family in Israel; and the Wounded Veterans Program, which provides wounded veterans with physical, social, and psychological services and special prosthetics.

Vice-chairing the gala are FIDF YL-LA President Zach Zalben and FIDF YL-LA Executive Board Member Michael Spector and gala co-chairs include FIDF YL-LA Executive Board Members Maxx Cohen,Robert Roig, Franky Ruzin, and Tanya Saban and FIDF YL-LA Board of Directors Members Jennie Arad and Melanie Wiener.

Among the distinguished guests will be a former Lone Soldier – one who serves in the IDF without any immediate family in Israel – originally from LA. Other esteemed guests from the LA community; FIDF Western Region Founder and Chairman Leo David; and FIDF Western Region Executive Director Miri Nash.

The evening will begin at 7:30 p.m. For more information, to purchase tickets, or to support FIDF, please visit: http://fidfyl.org/.

About Friends of the Israel Defense Forces (FIDF):

FIDF was established in 1981 by a group of Holocaust survivors as a 501(C)(3) not-for-profit organization with the mission of providing and supporting educational, social, cultural, and recreational programs and facilities for the heroic men and women of the IDF. Today, FIDF has more than 150,000 loyal supporters, and 15 regional offices throughout the U.S. and Panama. FIDF proudly offers its support to IDF soldiers, families of fallen soldiers, and wounded veterans through a variety of unique and innovative programs. These opportunities reinforce the vital bond between the communities in the United States, the soldiers of the IDF, and the State of Israel. For more information, please visit: www.fidf.org.