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ship of the American Al Schwimmer. They
were married in a 1949 ceremony attended
by Israeli pilots of the 69th and 101st air
squadrons. Rudy served in the 101st Air
Squadron of the Israeli Air Force for two
years and was one of the first El Al Israel
Airlines pilots.
After the birth of -their first son, the
Newman returned to Detroit in 1952. The
couple's love and support of Israel did not
wither with their move to the United States.
Today, Ann is well known for her support
of Israel and the Zionist causes. She is a
chairman emeritus of the Michigan Friends
of the Israel Defense Forces (FIDF). On a
trip this winter to Israel, she took one of
her grandsons who expressed interest in
the IDF; the same program that brought his
grandfather to Israel.
Joshua Newman, a junior at Frankel
Jewish Academy in West Bloomfield, and
his grandmother were escorted on a trip to
Israel by Michigan Chapter FIDF Executive
Director Tamir Oppenheim.
Their tour included meeting with Col.
(Res.) Pinky Zoaretz, who lost his leg in
the Philadelphi Corridor. They received a
briefing from Brig. Gen. Yossi Bachar, com-
mander of the Gaza Division, and met with
Maj. Gen. Tal Russo, commander of the IDF
Southern Command. Joshua and his grand-
mother met with American soldiers serving
in the 101 Battalion on the border with
the Gaza Strip. "It was very heartwarming
to see the soldier from West Bloomfield,"
Joshua said. It really gave me a connection
that maybe, one day, I will be able to join
the army:"
Ann Newman insists that the FIDF motto
— "Their job is to look after Israel. Ours is
to look after them" — is deeper than just
words; when in Israel, she says, you can feel
this message.
"It is very important for us to make every
effort to visit the young soldiers," she says.
"Unlike our kids that plan which college
to go to, Israeli kids have to go into the IDE
It is very important to encourage them
because without them and without Israel,
we are lost:'
Newman knows that supporting the
FIDF is investing in Israel's future. Israeli
soldiers benefit from the FIDF range of
programs, which address educational,
Mrs. Newman with Col. (Res.) Pinky Zoaretz and Maj. Gen. Tal Russo, IDF Southern
Command commander
social, economic, recreational, spiri-
tual and cultural needs as well those of
families of soldiers fallen in defense of the
State of Israel.
On tour, Joshua and his grandmother
visited the five FIDF-built capital projects:
a synagogue, a recreational sports facility,
a cafeteria, a clinic and an auditorium.
This family trip led Joshua to consider
his heritage while on tour of IDF sites and
Israel.
He explained that his grandparents were
among volunteers from outside the Land
of Israel and that he wishes to continue
their legacy, making sure his family knows
their roots are in Israel.
ZIONIST ORGANIZATION OF AMERICA
MICHIGAN REGION PRESENTS
What You Need to Know About The
Muslim Brotherhood
Hear about the Muslim Brotherhood's guises, its goals, its strategy and how it
is working now in Europe and the United States
Wednesday March 9th
7:30 PM
Holocaust Memorial Center
28123 Orchard Lake Road
Farmington Hills, MI 48334
Please RSVP by Monday, March 7, 2011 to
info@mizoa,org or (248) 282-0088
Robert Spencer is the author of ten books
including the New York Times
bestsellers: The Truth about Muhammad
and The Politically Incorrect Guide to
Islam. He has led seminars on Islam and
jihad for the U.S. Central Command, the U.S.
Army Command, the F.B.I. and the U.S.
intelligence community.
1655030
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February 24 • 2011