FIDF New York Gala raises NIS 122 million for IDF soldiers
Speaking at event, outgoing IAF Commander Maj.-Gen. Eshel gives keynote address, speaking about security challenges facing Israel and latest air force innovations including F-35 fighter jets.
More than $34 million (NIS 122 million) were raised Monday at the annual Friends of the Israel Defense Force New York Gala event held in the city's Midtown Hilton Hotel.
The event was attended by 1,200 guests from the United States, including leading philanthropists and businesspeople, as well as distinguished Israeli guests such as senior security establishment officials.
Eshel gave his address after Danny Shapira, a graduate of the Israeli Air Force Flight Academy, and the first man awarded Israel's pilot wings. Shapira later served as the air force's first test pilot and in the same capacity for the Israel Aerospace Industries.
Shapira, soon to celebrate his 93rd birthday, arrived at the gala with his son Ronen, also an air force pilot. Shapira treated the assembled crowd to memories from his time as pilot and boldly announced he never knew the meaning of fear.
He was accompanied onstage by combat female pilot Deputy N., who moved the crowd and received a raucous round of applause when she said there was no difference between her and her male counterparts.
Eshel, meanwhile, spoke of the security challenges Israel faces and of the air force's latest technological innovations, including the purchase of the F-35 (Adir) fighter jets, which he said were game-changing and moved the air force—and the entire army—up several pegs. Eshel also stressed the importance of the "Israeli-American togetherness."
The latter portion of the evening focused on the Entebbe Operation and the story of entrepreneur and start-up mogul Amir Ofer, a former member of the elite Sayeret Matkal commando unit, who was the first soldier to enter the Entebbe Airport's terminal.
Ofer was moved himself when he remembered how he declared to the 102 hostages held at the airport that IDF soldiers were there to release them.
The evening was brought to a close by those present dancing to the music played by the Israel Defense Forces Orchestra.
In attendance were Permanent Representative of Israel to the United Nations Danny Danon, Consul-General of Israel to New York Dani Dayan, former Chief of Staff Women's Affairs advisor Gila Kalifi, FIDF National Chairman Arthur Stark and National President Peter Weintraub and Fox Business News anchor Liz Claman, who was given the honor of hosting the event.
The New York department of the FIDF is one of the organization's 20 branches. Friends of the Israel Defense Force is a non-profit organization that has been active for the past 36 years and was founded by Holocaust survivors who immigrated to the US. The organization raises more than $100 million every year for different IDF causes.
Yael Waltzer was the FIDF's guest for the event in New York.
