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FIDF Gala at Hilton Raises $35M – Celebrates “A Night of Heroes” Honoring Brave Soldiers & Vets

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The Friends of the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) held its annual dinner on Monday, October 23, 2017 at the Hilton hotel with the reception beginning at 5:30 PM. Last year’s March dinner was cancelled due to an impending snowstorm and rescheduled this evening with a sold-out 1,200 person crowd. Normally, this elegant dinner is held at the preferred venue of the Waldorf Astoria which is unfortunately under construction. This gala is one of the major annual fundraising events of the IDF.

The FIDF was created in 1981, fulfilling David Ben-Gurion’s vision of an American pillar of support for Israel’s soldiers with more than 15 branches in the United States and Panama. In 2016, the organization gave: 4,025 impact scholarships to combat veterans; educational support to 5,000 soldiers post-service; necessities such as furniture and food vouchers to more than 8,000 soldiers in-need; supported 710 wounded veterans; and adopted 8 brigades supporting 30,000 soldiers.

An overview of the Oct. 23 FIDF National N.Y. Gala Dinner at the New York Hilton Midtown. (Photo credit: Shahar Azran)
Dr. Miriam and Sheldon G. Adelson with Israeli soldiers. (Photo credit: Shahar Azran)
Fox Business Network anchor and gala MC Liz Claman interviewing Maj. Gen. Amir Eshel. (Photo credit: Shahar Azran)
The Hampton Synagogue Cantor Netanel Hershtik with U.S. and Israeli soldiers at the Oct. 23 FIDF N.Y. Gala Dinner. (Photo credit: Shahar Azran)
(From left) FIDF National President Rabbi Peter Weintraub; FIDF Central Region Board Member Al Brody; and FIDF National Director and CEO Maj. Gen. (Res.) Meir Klifi-Amir. (Photo credit: Shahar Azran)
(From left) Outgoing Israeli Air Force (IAF) chief Maj. Gen. Amir Eshel; legendary IAF test pilot Danny Shapira; and FIDF National Director and CEO Maj. Gen. (Res.) Meir Klifi-Amir. (Photo credit: Shahar Azran)
(From left) FIDF National Director and CEO Maj. Gen. (Res.) Meir Klifi-Amir; Maj. Gen. Amir Eshel; Ellen Sokoloff and her husband Lloyd, who is an FIDF national board member; FIDF National Board Member and New Jersey Chapter Co-Founder Sammy Bar-Or; Annette Tauber Stern, who will co-chair the upcoming FIDF New Jersey gala; FIDF New Jersey Director Howard Gases; FIDF National President Rabbi Peter Weintraub; and Sylvia and Arthur Stark. (Photo credit: Shahar Azran)
(From left, center) FIDF National Chairman Arthur Stark; Founder and President of the International Fellowship of Christians and Jews Rabi Yechiel Eckstein; FIDF National President Rabbi Peter Weintraub; and FIDF National Director and CEO Maj. Gen. (Res.) Meir Klifi-Amir with Israeli soldiers. (Photo credit: Shahar Azran)
(From left, center) FIDF National Director and CEO Maj. Gen. (Res.) Meir Klifi-Amir; Maj. Gen. Amir Eshel; FIDF supporters Michael and Lisa Leffell; and Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations Executive Vice Chairman and CEO Malcolm Hoenlein with Israeli soldiers. (Photo credit: Shahar Azran)
(From left) FIDF supporter Rafi Nakash; Maj. Gen. Amir Eshel; FIDF National Board Member and Long Island Chairman Ronny Ben-Josef; FIDF National Chairman Arthur Stark; FIDF National President Rabbi Peter Weintraub; new FIDF Long Island Director Felicia Solomon; and FIDF National Director and CEO Maj. Gen. (Res.) Meir Klifi-Amir. (Photo credit: Shahar Azran)
(From left, center) FIDF National Director and CEO Maj. Gen. (Res.) Meir Klifi-Amir; Dr. Miriam and Sheldon G. Adelson; Permanent Representative of Israel to the United Nations Amb. Danny Danon; FIDF National President Rabbi Peter Weintraub; FIDF National Chairman Arthur Stark; Maj. Gen. Amir Eshel; and Brig. Gen. (Res.) Gila Klifi-Amir with Israeli soldiers. (Photo credit: Shahar Azran)
(From left) FIDF National Director and CEO Maj. Gen. (Res.) Meir Klifi-Amir; Dr. Miriam and Sheldon G. Adelson; Permanent Representative of Israel to the United Nations Amb. Danny Danon; Maj. Gen. Amir Eshel; FIDF National President Rabbi Peter Weintraub; FIDF National Chairman Arthur Stark. (Photo credit: Shahar Azran)
(From left, center) FIDF National Director and CEO Maj. Gen. (Res.) Meir Klifi-Amir; FIDF National Chairman Arthur Stark; outgoing Israeli Air Force (IAF) chief Maj. Gen. Amir Eshel; and FIDF National President Rabbi Peter Weintraub with Israeli soldiers. (Photo credit: Shahar Azran)
Chick and Shelley Paradis, Batsheva Halpern and Dr. Aviva Bojko (Photo Credit: Lieba Nesis)
Robin Gordon, Steve Schacter, George Lefkovits, Doug Simon, Valerie and Hilton Mirels, Dan Moskowitz and Randy Barron Beard (Photo Credit: Lieba Nesis)
Ami and Lixi Sagi (Photo Credit: Lieba Nesis)
Ronen and Danny Shapira, Arthur Stark and Major Klifi Amir (Photo Credit: Lieba Nesis)
Jenny Polotsky, Ori Eyal, Itamar Efrat and Noa Harduf (Photo Credit: Lieba Nesis)
Danny Shapira and writer and photographer Lieba Nesis
Robert Jossen, Peter Weintraub and Feliks Frenkel (Photo Credit: Lieba Nesis)

This evening was “A Night of Heroes” and saluted the brave soldiers and veterans from all of Israel’s military operations and historic wars. The night began with a moving rendition of the Star Spangled Banner and Hatikvah by Cantor Naftali Hershtik. This year, there was a more optimistic tone to the dinner as President Trump continues to prove he is a great friend of Israel with a video shown depicting the unprecedented military cooperation between the United States and Israel.

Peter Weintraub, the FIDF National President, thanked Miriam and Sheldon Adelson for pledging $10 million last year but actually donating $16 million-the largest gift in IDF history. They were given a special plaque for adopting numerous army brigades with the inscription “it is not what one says but what one does” that counts and they are incredible Jewish activists. Sheldon and Miriam were seated in the middle of a large central table in the ballroom and were the toast of the evening with hundreds of people requesting selfies and congratulating them on their generosity. This dynamic duo’s support of Birthright has given hundreds of thousands of Jewish students the opportunity to sample the beauty of Israel.

Tonight was all about Israel, with more than 25 IDF soldiers and officers from several military units and the IDF orchestra attending. The emcee of the evening was Fox business news anchor Liz Claman and her enthusiasm and professionalism was readily apparent. A special commemoration of the 50th Anniversary of the Six-Day War was led by legendary Air Force Pilot Danny Shapira. The 92-year-old Shapira recounted his participation in the Six-Day-War where he and his compatriots, without sufficient arms, were surrounded by 100 milllion Arabs knowing they would be killed if they surrendered. He later told me he had flown in six wars and during the six-day war, he flew on two bombing missions a day performing all the test flying of the aircrafts. On the sixth day of the war the Israeli army gave him a reprieve to attend his son’s Bar Mitzvah. Shapira spoke proudly of Israel’s preeminence in high technology and lauded the strength of the current Israeli Air Force. Shapira has two sons and a daughter who were all in the Air Force-an unprecedented achievement.

Another superstar, Capt. “N”, one of the few women combat flight navigators who pilots the new F-35 fighter jets, said there are currently 2,100 women in active combat and she was one of 4 women amongst 75 men in her Air Force unit and was treated as an equal by her Commander. A video was shown of the remarkable Israeli F-35 Adir- a stealth fighter plane that was provided by Lockheed Martin with Israel outfitting the aircraft for its own essential needs. Maj. “G”, who pilots one of these planes, spoke about its awesome capabilities and the special helmet created by Israel allowing pilots clear vision to maneuver effortlessly in the dark.

Donatebalance of nature style="text-align: justify;">Amir Eshel, Commander of the Israeli Air Force for the past five years, oversaw the acquisition of these jets and said the F-35 was a “game changer” for the IDF. Eshel who recently retired said he was honored to be in the same room as living legend Danny Shapira a pilot he has admired since the age of 8. Eshel spoke of his lengthy service saying his ultimate goal as commander was to eviscerate evolving threats while avoiding escalation to full scale war. He then praised the professionalism of the current group of soldiers by remarking that “technology was worthless without good people.” Eshel led a three plane Air Force flight over Auschwitz a symbolic mission exemplifying that “never again” is more than just an empty sound bite. Eshel promised to support the state of Israel and the whole Jewish people.

Just when I was all “heroed out” we were introduced to Amir Ofer; the first IDF soldier to enter the Entebbe terminal to free the 102 hijacked Air France passengers in a daring 90 minute operation in Uganda. Ofer recalled using a megaphone to tell the hostages, “Stay down! Stay down! We are Israeli soldiers” and became emotional when describing the 1976 mission termed “Operation Thunderbolt.” Unfortunately, this mission ended with the untimely death of the great Yonatan Netanyahu. Ofer humbly insisted he was not a hero but was simply doing what he had trained for. Ofer recounted participating in many covert missions that were significantly more dangerous than Entebbe referring to Entebbe as “the tip of the public iceberg” in terms of audacity. Ofer said Entebbe sent a message to the world that the Israeli state will protect Jews all around the globe.

These moving accounts were a perfect segue into the fundraising portion of the evening with Peter Weintraub pleading with the audience to be “short on orations but big on donations.” There were so many generous donors with the Genesis philanthropy group, Masa Yisraeli, Nefesh B’ Nefesh, and FIDF National Vice President Marc Perlman each pledging $1 million. Moreover, there were a number of anonymous donors who gave over $1 million each; with Adiv Baruch pledging $2 million. Larry Hochberg, Co-Founder and Chairman of FELNET is an international philanthropist who has been involved in numerous initiatives supporting Israel throughout Europe and the United States. Hochberg donated $100,000 this evening with little fanfare.

No dinner would be complete without the largesse of Sheldon and Miriam Adelson. Monday evening was Miriam’s birthday and she wore a beautiful dress designed by an unknown Israeli-typical of the understated Miriam. Miriam expressed concern over UNESCO’s anti-Israel bias and seemed pleased that she had helped elect a President that will withdraw from the organization. Tonight she and Sheldon joyfully donated $7 million and requested to adopt additional army brigades. Weintraub announced that a record-breaking $35 million had been raised; I am confident the Adelsons will throw in a couple of million more akin to their increased contribution last year.

By: Lieba Nesis

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