Views

6 | JULY 30 • 2020 

essay
Making an IMPACT!
L

ast October, while on 
my 16th trip to Israel, 
I had an experience 
that I will never forget. I got 
to meet two veteran IDF 
soldiers whose lives were 
changed forever, thanks to the 
IMPACT! scholarships that 
my husband 
Norm and I 
had provided. 
Here’
s a little 
background 
that led to this 
meeting.
On our 
second trip to 
Israel in 1980, our group had 
the privilege of being the first 
mission to be able to spend 
the night at an IDF army base. 
It was very exciting, and a 
little scary as well. We met 
several of the officers there 
and the one that stood out was 
Yaya — Yair Yaron, the head 
of the Paratroopers Unit. 
In 1996, Yaya asked Norm 
if he would help to set up a 
new chapter of Friends of the 
Israel Defense Forces (FIDF) 
in Detroit, which he did. My 
involvement with FIDF at 
that time was attending the 
annual dinner every year. 
Then, in the summer of 2015, 
we attended a gathering where 
I learned about the IMPACT! 
Scholarship Program. Norm 
and I were so impressed 
with what we heard about 
this unique program that we 
decided to become donors in 
support of a scholarship that 
night.
FIDF’
s IMPACT! 
Scholarship Program grants 
full four-year scholarships to 
Israeli combat and combat 

support soldiers in need, 
following their military 
service. The IMPACT! 
scholarship is unique: 100% 
of contributions go directly 
to the student for payment of 
tuition and related expenses, 
such as textbooks, as well as 
living experiences while they 
study so they can fully focus 
on their academics at an 
accredited university.
To be eligible, the 
soldiers must come from 
disadvantaged socioeconomic 
backgrounds, which would 
prevent them from getting a 
college education. Any IDF 
soldier that meets the criteria 
can receive an IMPACT! 
scholarship. Every scholarship 
student must complete 130 
hours of community service 
during each year of his or her 
scholarship as a way to give 
back and help others in need 
in return for this opportunity.

Soldiers from every 
socioeconomic level enter 
the IDF after they complete 
high school. Many have 
the aptitude and desire to 
continue their studies after 
their army service but lack 
the financial means to do 

so. That’
s why the IMPACT! 
Program is so special. This is 
the 18th year of the program 
and over 16,000 students have 
benefited from it.
Donors receive an initial 
letter and photo from 
their scholarship student 
followed by a letter yearly 
with an update on their 
academic progress, volunteer 
placements and life in general. 
Many of the families sponsor 
more than one student. 
Some families develop very 
close relationships with their 
students and celebrate family 
simchahs together. They 
may get together in Israel 
and, in some cases, have 
brought their students to the 
United States for a visit. The 
connections continue long 
after graduation. We looked 
forward to receiving letters 
from our soldier, Barak, but 
we didn’
t meet him in person 
because we did not go to Israel 
during that time. 
In the intervening years, 
my involvement with FIDF 
increased, as I chaired the 
Women of Valor Luncheon 
in 2018 and 2019, which 
successfully raised funds for 

the IMPACT! Scholarship 
Program. Then in the fall 
of 2019 I decided to go 
on a Women’
s Mission to 
Israel. Paula Lebowitz, FIDF 
Michigan Chapter director, 
asked if I would like to meet 
my student. She encouraged 
me to find the time because 
all the donors who have met 
their students in the past have 
said it was a highlight of their 
trip — and so it was for me as 
well.
When the day came for 
our lunch meeting, I was 
very pleased and surprised 
to learn that we had not one 
but two scholars: one who 
had completed his scholarship 
and was involved in his career 
and another who was in the 
middle of his schooling. Both 
came to meet me, bringing 
me gifts and lots of gratitude. 
I will never forget their 
expressions of appreciation 
and how grateful they were 
that we had changed their 
lives.
Hearing about their 
experiences changed my 
life as well. I came home 
with the determination and 
goal of encouraging more 
Detroiters to participate in 
this life-changing program. 
As much as you will be giving 
to a soldier in need, you will 
personally receive even more 
and, hopefully, sometime in 
the future, you too will be 
able to meet someone whose 
life was changed by your 
generosity. 

Community leader and philanthropist 
Susie Pappas lives in Bloomfield Hills.

Susie Pappas

JVS

