450 Celebrate Israel's 70th at Benefit Raising $300,000

Photo credits: Aron Michael Photography.

CEDARHURST, N.Y. – Some 450 supporters from the Long Island community gathered last Wednesday, May 9, at The Sephardic Temple in Cedarhurst for the Friends of the Israel Defense Forces (FIDF) Five Towns and Greater South Shore Annual Event, which celebrated 70 years of the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) and raised some $300,000 to support well-being and educational programs for IDF soldiers. During the event, Dr. Daniel and Perri Moskovic and Baruch and Ariel Glaubach were honored for their steadfast support of Israel and its soldiers.

The benefit, one of the local community’s largest events, featured keynote speaker Israeli Air Force (IAF) Brig. Gen. (Res.) Joshua Shani, now the CEO of Lockheed Martin Israel and who served as the lead pilot on Operation Entebbe, an Israeli rescue mission at Uganda’s Entebbe Airport in 1976 that saved 102 passengers who were taken hostage when their Air France flight en route to Paris from Tel Aviv was hijacked by terrorists. After a week of planning, Shani led four IAF C-130 Hercules transport aircraft, loaded with Israeli special operations soldiers, on a secret flight to Uganda and succeeded against all odds.

“My biggest fear wasn’t being shot at from the ground; rather it was making a mistake that would endanger this entire operation. All I could think the entire time was ‘don’t screw this up,’” said Shani. “The lives of many were in my hands that day and, miraculously, my team and I were able to come out victorious.”

Also speaking were active-duty IDF soldiers from this generation, including Israeli Navy Capt. “Y.,” the grandson of a Polish Holocaust survivor and who, thanks to FIDF, was able to take part in the Witnesses in Uniform program, which brings Israeli soldiers and officers to Poland to commemorate and learn about the Holocaust.

One of the evening’s emotional highlights came when the delegation of IDF soldiers honored 12 local Holocaust survivors, showering them with flowers and affection.

“It felt so special to be shown such warmth from the brave soldiers who keep Israel and Jews everywhere safe,” said Holocaust survivor Sheila Trotsky, originally from Poland, where her mother saved her and her four siblings, and who now lives in Lawrence, N.Y. FIDF was founded by a group of Holocaust survivors in 1981 to support the well-being of IDF soldiers, and the organization holds an annual mission to Poland and Israel to bring together FIDF supporters, IDF soldiers, and Holocaust survivors to commemorate the Holocaust, and celebrate Israel’s independence.

Presiding as the evening’s master of ceremonies was criminal defense attorney Benjamin Brafman Esq., and FIDF leadership in attendance included FIDF National Board Member and Long Island Chairman Ronny Ben-Josef; FIDF National Director and CEO Maj. Gen. (Res.) Meir Klifi-Amir; FIDF Tri-State Executive Director Galit Brichta; and FIDF Long Island Director Felicia Solomon.

“As they did 70 years ago, the brave soldiers of the IDF put it all on the line to protect Israel and Jews around the world. This event gave our community the opportunity to meet and personally thank some of those heroes, and to hear about the tremendous impact their support has on the lives of these young men and women in uniform,” said Ben-Josef. “It was so heartwarming to see our local Holocaust survivors’ reactions to being honored by the IDF’s bravest, and I want to extend a special thanks to everyone who helped make this happen – including the local host families, synagogues, and Jewish schools who welcomed the soldiers during our Shabbaton the weekend before the event.”

Photo #1: IDF soldiers showered 12 local Holocaust survivors with flowers and affection at the May 9 FIDF Five Towns and Greater South Shore Annual Event.

Photo #2: (From left) FIDF Long Island Director Felicia Solomon; IDF Staff Sgt. Shlomo; event honorees Dr. Daniel and Perri Moscovic; FIDF National Director and CEO Maj. Gen. (Res.) Meir Klifi-Amir; and IDF Staff Sgt. Nathan.

Photo #3: (From left) IDF Staff Sgt. Shlomo; FIDF National Director and CEO Maj. Gen. (Res.) Meir Klifi-Amir; FIDF National Board Member and Long Island Chairman Ronny Ben-Josef; event honorees Ariel and Baruch Glaubach; FIDF Long Island Director Felicia Solomon; and IDF Sgt. Lea.

Photo #4: (From left) Event honorees Perriand Dr. Daniel Moskovic with FIDF National Director and CEO Maj. Gen. (Res.) Meir Klifi-Amir.

Photo #5: (From left) FIDF National Director and CEO Maj. Gen. (Res.) Meir Klifi-Amirwith event honorees Arieland Baruch Glaubach.