Americans Love the IDF, Raise $26 Million
March 14, 2012
Americans love the IDF. More than 1.300 business and philanthropic leaders donated $26 million at a Friends of the Israel Defense Forces (FIDF) dinner in New York.
IDF Chief of Benny Gantz was scheduled to address the event but settled for speaking via satellite from Israel, where he is overseeing the military’s response to the latest barrage of missile attacks from Gaza.
He thanked the supporters and told them, “This is very important for us to know that we are not alone.”
Lt. Gen Gantz added, “The Iron dome and active defense systems that we have now are a serious and historical milestone. I think we did right and we will do it in the future as well.”
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu also addressed the audience from Israel, saying that “the Jewish State has the capacity to resist attacks. The Israeli army is the guarantor of our future. Thank you for standing by us.”
Gilad Shalit, the IDF soldier who was released last October more than five years after Hamas and allied terrorists kidnapped him during a deadly attack on a Gaza crossing, told the crowd in a video speech that he is grateful to Americans who supported him during his captivity.
Among the largest donation to the IDF was a $9.25 million contribution by Rabbi Yechiel Eckstein, founder and president of the International Fellowship of Christians and Jews (IFCJ).
American astronaut Col. Paul Lockhart also pledged money for the IDF.
The Friends of the IDF was established in 1981 by a group of Holocaust survivors and supports soldiers and their families .
Similar posts
-
Israel Has The Most Moral Military In The World
April 10, 2024In the heart of a region often riddled with conflict, Israel stands out not only for its technologi...
-
The Resilience of the Israeli People
April 2, 2024Visitors from around the world have seen Hamas's October 7th Massacre's destruction in southern Isr...
-
Israel: Small Size, Big Impact
March 21, 2024Nestled along the eastern edge of the Mediterranean Sea, Israel is a land of immense historical sig...
-
Israelis Are Fighting For Their Lives
February 21, 2024By Jonathan S. Tobin The world looks a lot different from Kibbutz Kfar Aza than it does in the U...
-
Over 2 Million Arabs Live In Israel
January 23, 2024In the complex landscape of the Middle East, where diverse cultures and identities intersect, Israe...
-
'Fauda' Star Idan Amedi Injured Fighting in Gaza
January 8, 2024Despite the severity of his injuries, Amedi's father assured Israeli news channels that his life is...
-
Israel Is A Great Country To Live In
December 28, 2023Nestled at the crossroads of the Middle East, Israel stands as a vibrant and dynamic nation, offeri...
-
Dear World: I Don't Care
November 2, 2023By Avi Lewis I don’t care that you sympathize with Hamas I know you wouldn’t tolerate any of ...