MARCH 17 • 2022 | 23
who suffered and lost other
family during World War II.
“If the Jewish people
had an army 80 years ago,
we wouldn’t have had the
Holocaust. Through his
actions — and those of his
fellow soldiers — the IDF is
ensuring that the horrors we
have seen in the Holocaust
were not in vain, and that
these atrocities will never
happen again,” William said.
Esther went on to explain
how Joseph’s love for Israel
started when he was a young
boy. “We’ve traveled to Israel
many times, and we talked
about Israel all the time. I
think it was when he was
a little boy, he developed a
love for the land.
“When he graduated
high school, he went to the
Mechina and he developed
a very special feeling and he
decided he wanted to stay
in Israel. He made aliyah
and went to the army,” she
added.
Esther says Joseph keeps
in touch with his family
regularly and when he can
he makes trips back to the
states. Organizations like
the Lone Soldier Program
with the Friends of the Israel
Defense Forces (FIDF) help
some actve soldiers stay
in touch with family in the
states.
Paula Lebowitz, director
of Michigan’s chapter of the
FIDF, says the organization
was founded by Holocaust
survivors back in 1981 and
helps to ensure soldiers are
taken care of.
“I think it’s just import-
ant to stay connected and
make sure those soldiers
have everything they need
because they’re far away
from home in a place that’s
kind of scary, and we want
them to be safe. We want
them to feel connected, and
we want them to know that
they can reach out to FIDF
for anything,” Lebowitz said.
Esther says the Lone
Soldier program is terrif-
ic and she was able to see
Joseph last summer. “We are
very proud of him. Joseph
has a family that supports
him, and his adoptive family
and friends make sure that
they can help any time he
needs help … everybody
should be very proud of
these young people.”
For more information about the FIDF
or the Lone Soldier program, visit
www.fidf.org/how-we-help/lone-sol-
Joseph Icikson stands in between his grandparents
Esther and William Icikson.