FORMER DEFENSE MINISTER YAALON MEETS WITH DELEGATION OF OVER 70 AMERICAN FIDF LEADERS ON VISIT TO ISRAEL
FIDF delegation, Nov. 11-18, met with IDF deputy chief of the general staff, former minister of defense, and got rare glimpse into the lives of Israeli soldiers
TEL AVIV, Israel, Nov. 18 – More than 70 leaders and supporters of Friends of the Israel Defense Forces (FIDF) from all walks of life and from across the U.S. joined the FIDF National Leadership Mission to Israel this week, getting a rare glimpse into the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) and showing their solidarity with and appreciation for Israel’s brave soldiers.
The mission, Nov. 11-18, brought members of FIDF’s 15 chapters together with the soldiers of the IDF. Mission participants received in-depth briefings by senior military officers, met with state leaders, including former Defense Minister of Israel Moshe Yaalon and former IDF Chief of the General Staff Lt. Gen. (Res.) Gabi Ashkenazi, toured strategic IDF bases to get a behind-the-scenes look into the Israeli military, and experienced Israel in an entirely new way. Yaalon briefed the FIDF delegation on the Middle East’s dynamic security situation. Following the meeting, FIDF recognized Yaalon with an award for his tireless work on behalf of the State of Israel.
The group of FIDF leaders visited FIDF-sponsored well-being and educational facilities on IDF bases, including the new IDF Training Campus in the Negev Desert, the IDF’s largest contemporary construction project, where they inaugurated a new synagogue sponsored by FIDF’s Miami Region. FIDF has invested $42 million in the construction of 11 well-being facilities on this IDF Training Campus. These facilities remind soldiers that supporters worldwide are thankful for their commitment to the State of Israel and the Jewish people.
Mission participants also met FIDF program beneficiaries, including Lone Soldiers – those who immigrate to Israel without immediate family in order to serve in the IDF – and students supported by the FIDF IMPACT! Scholarship Program, which grants college scholarships to IDF combat veterans of modest means; toured pivotal military installations, such as the Hatzerim Air Force Base and the Haifa Naval Base, to get a comprehensive look into the cutting-edge technology Israel employs to protect its borders; and met IDF combat soldiers serving on Israel’s front lines.
On Monday, Nov. 14, FIDF supporters visited soldiers from the IDF’s Kfir Brigade at their base near the Gaza border. In a moving ceremony, FIDF officially adopted the brigade thanks to a generous donation by honored business magnates, philanthropists and steadfast supporters of Israel Dr. Miriam and Sheldon Adelson. The Kfir Brigade’s adoption was part of the FIDF Adopt-A-Brigade Program, which supports soldiers in adopted brigades by providing financial assistance to soldiers in-need, caring for Lone Soldiers, funding rest and recuperation weeks, and sponsoring recreational and well-being activities for soldiers. The Adelsons were honored at the FIDF National New York Gala Dinner in March 2016. In addition to adopting the Kfir Brigade, the Adelsons have also adopted the Golani and Givati Brigades and have contributed to numerous other FIDF programs and construction of well-being facilities for IDF soldiers.
On Tuesday, FIDF held a special ceremony in honor of the many members of the Druze community who serve in the IDF, saluting them for their bravery and celebrating the bond between Jewish and Druze soldiers, commonly known as “a covenant of blood.”
Joining the FIDF National Leadership Mission were FIDF National President and Mission Chairman Peter Weintraub and FIDF National Director and CEO Maj. Gen. (Res.) Meir Klifi-Amir.
“This National Leadership Mission allowed our supporters to forge even deeper bonds with the brave men and women of the IDF,” said Klifi-Amir. “These young soldiers risk their lives every day to protect the State of Israel and Jews around the world. For FIDF supporters, this was the best way to witness and experience the impact of their life-changing contributions that build a better future for the State of Israel. It was also a chance for us to personally thank the IDF soldiers for their service, and to learn more about how we can enhance their well-being and stand by their sides at all times.”
The mission also included a “Salute to the IDF” event in Tel Aviv on Wednesday, Nov. 16, featuring a keynote speech by IDF Deputy Chief of the General Staff Maj. Gen. Yair Golan and participation by IDF commanders, Israeli dignitaries, and hundreds of FIDF IMPACT! Scholarship recipients. Addressing the more than 1,100 guests in attendance, Golan spoke about the IDF’s new “From Uniforms to University” program, which, like the GI Bill in the U.S., pays for IDF veterans’ university and professional degrees.
“We intend to sign a new contract between the state and the soldier who serves,” said Golan. “FIDF is a full partner in this fantastic program and key to our ability to expand benefits for all IDF veterans.”
“For one incredible week, we brought FIDF supporters to Israel to visit the IDF’s brave and devoted soldiers and show them, in one unified voice, how much we love and support them,” said Weintraub. “We had unique access to their daily lives, visiting them on their bases across Israel and hearing their stories firsthand.”
