Israeli Paratroopers Visit Chicagoland Schools

CHICAGO – Four paratroopers from the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) visited the Chicagoland area, April 22-26, as part of a delegation organized by Friends of the Israel Defense Forces (FIDF) celebrating the 70th anniversary of the state of Israel and the creation of the IDF.

Accompanying the paratroopers were members of the IDF Musical Ensemble, some of Israel’s most talented active-duty artists, who perform for IDF troops across Israel – and for civilian audiences around the world.

The soldiers, including IDF Staff Sgt. Ori Kulbak, a Skokie native serving as a “Lone Soldier” – one who enlists in the IDF without immediate family in Israel – spoke at the FIDF Illinois Annual Dinner, which gathered some 800 guests and raised $2.5 million to support well-being and educational programs for IDF soldiers. One of the evening’s emotional highlights came when Kulbak was reunited with his family onstage.

In partnership with the Shear Family Foundation, the Israeli paratroopers visited nearly 1,000 Chicago and North Shore schoolchildren, including at Akiba-Schechter Jewish Day School, Bernard Zell Anshe Emet Day School and Chicago Jewish Day School in Chicago, Solomon Schechter Day School of Metropolitan Chicago in Northbrook,

Highland Park High School, and Hillel Torah in Skokie. The soldiers also attended the Israeli consulate to the Midwest’s celebration of Israel’s 70th Independence Day at the Standard Club Hotel on April 25.

“We were inspired to do something special to mark this important milestone – the 70th anniversary of the state of Israel,” said FIDF Midwest Executive Director Tamir Oppenheim. “These brave paratroopers who put it all on the line to defend the Jewish homeland helped our community understand more about soldiers’ duties and sacrifices – and led us in celebrating Israel’s independence.”

The paratroopers spoke about their experiences leaving their families and friends to join the IDF and protect the state of Israel, where military service is mandatory for men and women.

“The Shear Family Foundation recognizes the extreme importance for young kids to be able to meet and encounter IDF soldiers, to hear their stories, and learn about the sacrifices made on behalf of Jews across the world,” said Shear Family Foundation Vice President John Shear, who is also an FIDF Illinois board member. “Likewise, this was an opportunity to show these brave soldiers how much the Chicago community cares and supports them through the crucial well-being and educational programs of FIDF.”

The FIDF Midwest Region adopted the IDF’s Paratroopers Brigade as part of the FIDF Adopt-A-Brigade Program, which allows supporters to go beyond their donation to get more involved, providing financial aid for IDF soldiers in-need and their families, supporting Lone Soldiers, and funding general well-being activities and weeks of rest and recuperation for soldiers of the adopted brigade.

Photo #1: IDF Staff Sgt. Ori Kulbak, originally from Skokie, was reunited with his family onstage at the FIDF Illinois Annual Dinner on April 23 (Photo credit: Steven Donisch).

Photo #2: The Shear family with the visiting IDF paratroopers and Musical Ensemble at Bernard Zell Anshe Emet Day School in Chicago on April 25 (Photo credit: Courtesy of FIDF).

Photo #3: The IDF soldiers visited Chicago Jewish Day School students on April 24 (Photo credit: Courtesy of FIDF).

Photo #4: The IDF soldiers visited Hillel Torah students in Skokie on April 24 (Photo credit: Courtesy of FIDF).

Photo #5: The visiting IDF soldiers with Einat Ezra (fifth from left), Consul General of Israel to the Midwest United States Aviv Ezra (sixth from left), and FIDF Midwest Executive Director Tamir Oppenheim (seventh from left), at the Israeli consulate to the Midwest’s celebration of Israel’s 70th Independence Day at the Standard Club Hotel on April 25 (Photo credit: Courtesy of FIDF).