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Los Angeles, CA, November 7, 2014 -
Over $33 million was raised at the annual Friends of the
Israel Defense Forces (FIDF) Western Region Gala last night,
breaking all records at the event where more than 1,200
supporters from the United States and Israel gathered to
support the brave men and women of the IDF. Those in
attendance included respected leaders and widely-known
figures from the Hollywood, business, tech, sports and
political communities. FIDF National Board Member and major
supporter, Haim Saban, and his wife, Cheryl, served as
chairs of the star-studded Gala that took place at the
Beverly Hilton Hotel in Beverly Hills, CA.
Notable donations made at the event included
$9 million from Larry Ellison, co-founder and Chairman of
Oracle Corporation; $5 million from Sheldon and Miriam
Adelson; $5.2 million from brothers Maurice and Paul
Marciano of Guess Jeans; $3.6 million from Cheryl and Haim
Saban; $2 million from Steve Tisch, Chairman and Executive
Vice President of the New York Giants; $1 million from Leo
David, founder of the Western Region of the FIDF; and $1.6
million from The Helmsley Charitable Trust. In addition,
first-time attendees and donors Michael and Susan Dell gave
$1.8 million to fund IMPACT! educational scholarship
programs. These generous gifts demonstrate the overwhelming
support for the FIDF.
"It
is incredibly touching to see how advocacy for the FIDF has
grown in Los Angeles," said Haim Saban. "The caliber of Gala
attendees from Hollywood, tech, business and other walks of
life especially a large contingent of people without ties to
Israel or Judaism ? ultimately speaks to their admiration
for the heroic men and women of the IDF and the incredible
work that the FIDF does to support them. Tonight's Gala has
become an event that the Los Angeles community looks forward
to each year as a chance to honor the soldiers who defend
the State of Israel."
"In
my mind, there is no greater honor than supporting some of
the bravest people in the world, and I thank FIDF for
providing us with this opportunity year-after-year to
celebrate and support these soldiers,? said Larry Ellison.
?These men and women come together with indefatigable
purpose, to defend Israel and strive to co-exist in peace."
Mr. Saban continued, "On behalf of the FIDF,
I am grateful to our donors, sponsors and supporters, whose
generosity enables us to keep changing lives for those
upholding the freedoms of the Jewish community worldwide."
The evening began with a cocktail reception,
followed by dinner and a program emceed by bestselling
author and political analyst, Monica Crowley, and featured
unforgettable performances by Ricky Martin, David Foster and
Friends and The Canadian Tenors. Among the many participants
at the Gala were former Governor of California, Arnold
Schwarzenegger, Barbra Streisand, Sylvester Stallone, Chris
Tucker, Pamela Anderson, Kathy Ireland, Joanna Krupa, Avi
Arad, Founder of Arad Productions Inc. and Founder and
former CEO of Marvel Studios, and his wife Joyce, Avi
Lerner, Co-Chairman of NuImage, and Ben Silverman, Founder
and CEO of Electus, and his wife Jennifer Cuoco.
Now in its 8th year chaired by the Sabans,
the Gala has become one of the must-attend events in Los
Angeles, delivering increased resources for the FIDF and
additional care for people that need and deserve its
support. The funds raised at the Gala will go towards
programs that address the educational, social, cultural, and
economic needs of the IDF soldiers, as well as the families
of soldiers fallen in defense of the State of Israel.
The FIDF national and local leadership
present at the event included Nily Falic, FIDF National
Chairman, Tony Rubin, FIDF Western Region President, Maj.
Gen. (Res.) Meir Klifi-Amir, FIDF National Executive
Director, Alan E. Scholnick, FIDF Chief Executive Officer,
Maj. Gen. (Res.) Yitzhak (Jerry) Gershon, FIDF National
Director and CEO Emeritus, Leo David, FIDF Western Region
Founder and Chairman, and his wife Ruth and Miri Nash,
Western Region Executive Director.
One of the most memorable moments of the
night was hearing the story of fallen IDF soldier 2nd Lt.
Hadar Z"L. His twin brother, 1st Lt. T., and 1st Lt. Eitan
recalled their courageous efforts to save Hadar during
Operation Protective Edge. The audience was profoundly
touched by Eitan?s heroism and T.'s bravery in facing the
loss of his brother. The program also highlighted the Heroes
to Heroes program, which connects Israeli and American
military heroes. Technical Sergeant Greg Grutter of the U.S.
Marine Core recalled his trip to Israel and how it changed
his life by introducing him to IDF veteran Zvika Comay who,
having been through similar experiences as Grutter, has
become a close friend of his and the two support each other
as they navigate life after the military. Everyone in the
room was delightfully surprised especially Grutter when
Comay came out onto the stage and the two embraced.
About Friends of the Israel Defense Forces (FIDF):
FIDF was established in 1981 by a group of
Holocaust survivors as a 501(C)(3) not-for-profit
organization with the mission of providing and supporting
educational, social, cultural, and recreational programs and
facilities for the heroic men and women of the IDF. Today,
FIDF has more than 120,000 loyal supporters, and 15 regional
offices throughout the U.S. and Panama. FIDF proudly offers
its support to the IDF soldiers and their families through a
variety of unique and innovative programs. These
opportunities reinforce the vital bond between the
communities in the United States, the soldiers of the IDF,
and the State of Israel. For more information, please visit: www.fidf.org.
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QUOTES FROM THE EVENT
Pamela Anderson
"Israel
is magical - one of my favorite places to be... somewhere so
old and so new - the people are very aware there. Worldly.
Interesting - kids too. You can see they have deep soulful
connections to world issues, art- freedom- music. Israel is
somewhere everyone should experience."
Avi Arad, Spiderman Movie producer
"After
spending my own time defending Israel, I know that now more
than ever the soldiers of the IDF need our support. This
summer we experienced the worst bloodshed and devastation
that we have seen in recent history. Our community of
civilians has a moral responsibility to rise up and show our
gratitude for these soldiers' bravery as they fight
terrorism and defend our frontlines."
Monica Crowley
"In
its brief, brave history, Israel has always faced profound
threats to its existence, and today, those threats are the
gravest they've ever been. It's a great honor to be part of
this event---and to support the FIDF---as we celebrate both
Israel and the courageous men and women who protect and
defend her every day. They are on the front lines of
freedom, and without them, freedom everywhere is in
jeopardy. They are true heroes
of liberty."
Michael Dell
"It's
a humbling experience to be here amongst these brave men and
women who have sacrificed so much for their country. Susan
and I are honored to be able to support their higher
education through the IMPACT! Scholarship Program."
Larry Ellison, co-founder and Chairman of
Oracle Corporation
"In
my mind, there is no greater honor than supporting some of
the bravest people in the world, and I thank FIDF for
providing us with this opportunity year-after-year to
celebrate and support these soldiers. These men and women
come together with indefatigable purpose, to defend Israel
and strive to co-exist in peace."
Joanna Krupa
"I
think people forget that Israel was created because the
Jewish people were being killed in places like Poland which
is where I'm from. I've seen the concentration camps. It's
awful. They escaped to this little tiny piece of land in the
dessert and have built it into a beautiful country that is
making big contributions to the world in tech, medicine and
even fashion. They were the first country to regulate the
weight of fashion models making sure they are healthy and
above a certain weight. Which is important for young women
today entering the fashion world. They promote women's
rights, gay rights, animal rights ... all very important to
me. I haven't been to Israel yet but I hope to go soon.
This is a cause very important to one of my best friends so
I am here to s
upport it.?"
Avi Lerner
"The FIDF is dedicated to supporting the
well-being of the soldiers who risk their lives defending
Israel -- without them, our homeland would fail to exist. It
is our duty to support these brave men and women through
FIDF as they risk their lives defending a nation under
constant attack."
Steven Tisch
"The
men and women of the IDF sacrifice so much to ensure that
our history is safeguarded and our future is bright. It is
the least we can do to celebrate and support them here
tonight."
Ben Silverman
"We thank the IDF for defending Israel so
Israel can continue to fight anti-semitism and protect human
rights, civil rights and democracy."
Barbra Streisand
"This
event is always one of the most inspiring and emotional
evenings of the year. The soldiers of the IDF deserve our
utmost respect and gratitude for all that they sacrifice to
protect Israel, the only democratic state in the region."
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