Tag Archive for FIDF

72 new immigrants (Olim) from North America land in Israel

 

Among the 72 Olim that landed at Ben Gurion Airport this morning are 20 future IDF Lone Soldiers – ‘present-day Maccabees,’ making for a wonderful Chanukah present.

By Arutz Sheva Staff

 

72 new immigrants (Olim) from North America, including 20 soon-to-be IDF Lone Soldiers, landed this morning, December 28, in Israel on a Nefesh B’Nefesh group Aliyah flight, in cooperation with Israel’s Ministry of Aliyah & Immigrant Absorption, the Jewish Agency, Keren Kayemeth Le’Israel, JNF-USA.

20 future Lone Soldiers - ‘present-day Maccabees' arrive in Israel 28 Dec 2016. - Photo/ Ben Kelmer, courtesy of Nefesh B'Nefesh

20 future Lone Soldiers – ‘present-day Maccabees’ arrive in Israel 28 Dec 2016. – Photo: Ben Kelmer, courtesy of Nefesh B’Nefesh

These young men and women are drafting with the Tzofim-Garin Tzabar program and will serve in the IDF as part of the Nefesh B’Nefesh Lone Soldiers Program. Continue Reading »

REPORT: IDF combat soldiers will be given college scholarships after discharge

Full scholarships to pursue a university degree or professional certification upon completion if combat service will be funded by the IDF, the Friends of the IDF and the Association for the Wellbeing of Israel’s Soldiers.

By JTA

 

Israeli combat soldiers will receive full scholarships from the military to pursue a university degree or professional certification.

The scholarships will be funded by the Israel Defense Forces, as well as the Friends of the IDF and the Association for the Wellbeing of Israel’s Soldiers, the Israeli Hebrew daily Yediot Acharonot reported.

In a recent meeting, IDF Chief of Staff Gen. Gadi Eisenkot asked Israel’s Finance Minister Moshe Kahlon to help him find the funds to offer such scholarships to only to combat soldiers, but to all soldiers after their service, according to Ynet, the English-language sister publication of Yediot. Continue Reading »

Hollywood celebrities raise $31 million for ‘Friends of the IDF’

 

Israeli billionaire Haim Saban invites actors & singers to participate in the annual FIDF event, showing amazing support for Israeli soldiers.

By Arutz Sheva Staff

 

The Friends of the IDF (FIDF) organization on Thursday night held its annual event honoring the IDF at the Beverly Hilton hotel in Los Angeles, where an outpouring of 1,200 people including numerous celebs showed their support for the Israeli army.

As is the case each year, the event was hosted by Israeli billionaire Haim Saban, who together with his wife Cheryl was able to invite Hollywood notables such as actors Antonio Banderas, Jason Alexander, Mark Wahlberg, Jason Segel, Liev Schreiber, singers Enrico Macias, David Foster, and Gene Simmons of the band Kiss, as well as several others. Continue Reading »

1000 released IDF soldiers celebrate Hanukkah by visiting homes of Holocaust survivors

1000 students from Friends of IDF scholarship fund, visit 500 homes of Holocaust survivors, to celebrate the lighting of the 1st candle of Hanukkah.

By Omri Efraim

 

More than a thousand released IDF soldiers visited the homes of about 500 Holocaust Survivors in Israel to celebrate the first night of Hanukkah with them as part of a broader initiative by the Foundation for the Benefit of Holocaust Victims and the Impact scholarship program funded by the Friends of the IDF organization.

Released IDF soldiers light first candle of Hanukkah at the Gil Oz retirement home in Petah Tikva. (Photo: Yaron Brenner)

Released IDF soldiers light first candle of Hanukkah at the Gil Oz retirement home in Petah Tikva. – Photo: Yaron Brenner

About a dozen released IDF soldiers arrived at the Gil Oz retirement home in Petah Tikva to light the first candle with holocaust survivors.
Continue Reading »

At FIDF gala, Israeli army’s media machine helps rake in $20 million

 

With the spotlight on Iranian munitions seizure and suave Israeli pilots, Friends of the Israel Defense Forces’ fundraiser in NY, brings in a hefty $20 million in donations.

 

 

The Waldorf ballroom – all three of its gilded tiers – was packed this past Tuesday night, as one of New York’s more visible and popular Jewish charities, Friends of the Israel Defense Forces, celebrated its annual gala dinner.

Chief of Staff Lieut. Gen. Benny Gantz speaks at FIDF gala, New York, 2014


Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Benny Gantz speaks at Friends of Israel Defense Forces gala, New York, 2014. – Photo: Shahar Azran

After the recent IDF seizure of an Iranian missile shipment bound for Gaza, the evening morale was high, and so was the socialite buzz.

Continue Reading »

Simon Cowell to visit Israel in move to embrace Judaism

 

X Factor creator, whose father was Jewish and is interested in his girlfriend’s religion talks of a visit to Israel.

By JPOST.COM STAFF
 

 

Music mogul Simon Cowell plans to embrace the Jewish faith of his girlfriend Lauren Silverman, who is pregnant with their first child, as well as make a secret trip to Israel, British tabloid The Mirror reported on Thursday, quoting sources close to Cowell.

Simon Cowell attends the premiere of X Factor in West Hollywood, California September 5, 2013.

Simon Cowell attends the premiere of X Factor in West Hollywood, California September 5, 2013.- Photo: REUTERS/Phil McCarten

The 54-year-old X Factor creator, judge and producer has Jewish roots – his father Eric was Jewish – but Cowell was raised Roman Catholic.

Continue Reading »

Int’l TV Music Judge Simon Cowell Donates to the IDF

 

 

Annual ‘Friends of the IDF’ event in L.A., hosted by Cheryl & Haim Saban, raises record $20 million for Israel’s soldiers

By Yossi Aloni

 

 

Hard-nosed American Idol and X Factor judge Simon Cowell was among 1,200 honored guests at this year’s Friends of the Israel Defense Forces (FIDF) event at the Beverly Hilton in Los Angeles

Music Mogul Simon Cowell Donates to IDF

Music Mogul Simon Cowell and event host Haim Saban

The annual salute to IDF soldiers is hosted by Cheryl and Haim Saban. Besides Cowell, the event was also graced by the presence of Lionel Richie, who gave a rare live performance. Continue Reading »