New York–The pageantry and elegance of the FIDF gala dinner at the Waldorf Astoria Hotel last Monday night makes it hard to imagine that the organization arose from the ashes of the Holocaust. The 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. As a people determined to never be victimized again and ensure the means to defend itself, today FIDF has more than 120,000 loyal supporters, and 15 regional offices throughout the U.S. and Panama. And even in our very difficult economic times, they raised $20 million that night to ensure the wellbeing of IDF soldiers.
A special delegation from New Jersey participated in the Gala event. Among them were Howard Gases, who recently joined the FIDF Tri-State team as the New Jersey Director and has 30 years of experience working with the Jewish communities in New Jersey; National Board Member Harry Gross; National Board Member Sammy Bar-Or; Bergen County Chair, Melinda Lowell Paltrow, and her husband, Dr. Irving Paltrowitz; and FIDF Supporters David and Sharon Halpern. And, as always, the staunch defender of all things Jewish and Israel, Rabbi Shmuley Boteach, was there as well. They joined more than 1,400 prominent business and philanthropic leaders from across the country. National Chairman Emeritus Arthur Stark served as the Gala Chairman, and once author and nationally syndicated radio host, Dr. Monica Crowley, served as the evening’s Master of Ceremonies.
But pageantry gave way to grave concern when Israel Defense Forces Chief of the General Staff, Lt. Gen. Benjamin (Benny) Gantz told the evening’s guests that Israel’s “enemies” are building a “bustling industry of terror” they are trying to conceal while presenting another face to the West. “Our enemies are weaving a web of deceit that allows them to make unprecedented complex strides—a web which they go to great lengths to conceal, but we go to greater lengths to uncover…We see them, we hear them, we recognize them, and most important of all, we act with boldness, innovation, and courage to stop them anywhere, in any way, and at any time.”
And of course Gantz also addressed something that’s been on everyone’ mind: the Israel-U.S. relationship. Gantz also spoke of the “deep and eternal commitment” between the two countries. “The relationship is based on shared values, almost identical interests, and a similar social and political structure, creating commitment in the struggle for peace and security,” he said.
Among the distinguished guests in attendance were FIDF National Chairman, Nily Falic; FIDF National Director and CEO, Maj. Gen. (Res.) Yitzhak (Jerry) Gershon; Israel Defense and Armed Forces Attaché to the U.S. and Canada, Maj. Gen. Yaacob Ayish; Israel Air Force Attaché and Deputy Defense Attaché to the U.S. and Canada, Brig. Gen. Yakov Shaharabani; IDF Spokesperson, Brig. Gen. Motti Almoz; the IDF’s 19th Chief of the General Staff, Lt. Gen. (Res.) Gabi Ashkenazi; President of the New York Yankees, Randy Levine and his wife, Mindy; American real estate tycoon and media proprietor, Mort Zuckerman; American sex therapist, media personality, and author, Dr. Ruth Westheimer; and Executive Director of the FIDF Tri-State Region, Richard Goldstein.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu greeted the audience via satellite. And though it is an audience which loves Israel, it is not their sons and daughters for the most part who are putting their lives on the line. As such, the evening culminated with heartfelt words shared by Yael Schiffenbauer, the widow of helicopter pilot Daniel Shiffenbauer, a former Squadron Commander in the IDF Air Force who was killed during military exercises in the Carpathian Mountains of Romania in 2010. In her speech, she spoke about losing her beloved husband and the father of their three sons, and the healing support offered to her family in their time of grief. To that Boteach tweeted that is was “hard to stay composed listening to hero IDF pilot widow speaking.”
By Aliza Davidovit
