metro » a round town

Honoring Soldiers FIDF raises more

than $1 million, brings local Lone Soldiers to speak.

M

ore than 700 people attend-
ed the Friends of the Israel
Defense Forces (FIDF)
Michigan Annual Gala on Nov. 1, raising
more than $1 million to support FIDF’s
educational and well-being programs for
IDF soldiers. The event at Congregation
Shaarey Zedek in Southfield honored
Israel’s soldiers and saluted local Lone
Soldiers, those who immigrate to Israel
to serve but who have no immediate
family in Israel.
Keynote speaker was Israeli Air
Force (IAF) Brig. Gen. (Res.) Joshua
Shani, lead pilot on Operation Entebbe,
the Israeli rescue mission at Uganda’s
Entebbe Airport in 1976 that saved 102
passengers taken hostage when their Air
France flight en route to Paris from Tel
Aviv was hijacked by terrorists.
Also attending were Lone Soldiers
from Metro Detroit: Cpl. Andrea, who
trains canines for the IAF; Sgt. Justin,

an advance reconnaissance scout
in the Armored Corps; Sgt. (Res.)
Stephanie, who trained tank gunners
in the Armored Corps; and Cpl. (Res.)
Laurenne, a shooting instructor in an
elite Artillery Corps unit.
Co-chairing the gala were FIDF
Michigan Chairman Alon Kaufman and
his wife, FIDF Michigan Vice President
Shari Ferber Kaufman; and FIDF
Michigan President Gary Shiffman and
wife, Lisa.
That night, Ferber Kaufman garnered
40 new FIDF Impact! Scholarships —
four-year full academic college scholar-
ships for IDF veterans of modest means.
Also, an award was presented to the
William and Audrey Farber Family
Foundation for its generous pledge
of $1.5 million made earlier this year
to support FIDF’s Formal Education
Program, which helps Israeli soldiers
complete their high school diplomas.

*

Natalierose Kaufman
sings “Hatikvah,”
as soldiers stand at
attention: Sgt. (Res.)
Stephanie; Sgt. 1st
Class Eden; Cpl. (Res.)
Laurenne; Staff Sgt.
(Res.) Golan; IAF Cpl.
Andrea; and Sgt. Justin.

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22 November 17 • 2016

Amanda Farber accepts an award on
behalf of the William and Audrey Farber
Family Foundation, which pledged
$1.5 million to FIDF’s Formal Education
Program earlier this year.

FIDF supporters Arthur
and Gina Horwitz; their
daughter Sgt. (Res.)
Stephanie; Cpl. (Res.)
Laurenne and her parents,
Shari and Alon Kaufman

FIDF Midwest Executive Director Tamir
Oppenheim, IDF Brig. Gen. (Res.)
Joshua Shani and Aaron F. Belen.

Photos by Lieberman Photography

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