FIDF Gala: One Hope … Israel’s Soldiers
Emotional speakers headline the Friends of Israel Defense Forces’ program’s second year in war.
After 37 years with the Atlanta Journal-Constitution and now with the AJT, , Jaffe’s focus is lifestyle, art, dining, fashion, and community events with emphasis on Jewish movers and shakers.
On May 12, approximately 650 supporters came to salute the finest military force on Earth with the hardest mission.
Seth Baron, Vice President of Friends of Israel Defense Forces (FIDF) Georgia & Southeast States welcomed the crowd at the Crowne Plaza Ravinia, with a special nod to Anat Sultan-Dadon who received a standing ovation as she nears the conclusion of her six-year term in Atlanta as Israel’s Consul General to the Southeast. She then spoke about “the need to protect Israel’s sovereignty as a shield standing for 77 years. The IDF doesn’t have the option of losing.”
Baron noted that 856 IDF soldiers have been lost since Oct. 7. He emphasized that Israel has been fighting Iran’s proxies on all fronts … “all while mourning … the days without consequences are over.”
Jeris Hollander, Associate Director of FIDF Georgia and Southeast States, led a moment of silence for these 856 souls lost in the first line of defense. He said, “A man does not die until he is forgotten.”
Attorney Ben Levy introduced Lt. “C.,” one of 10 siblings, who has crossed paths unknowingly with brothers during active duty. He added that his secret team developed a system to detect enemy cells, often seconds before (and preventing) attacks.
Next up was Staff Sgt. “O.” spoke of the horrors of “seeing her friends slaughtered in their pajamas by angry monsters as the worst day of her life, 10/7. After being separated from other females, she was the first hostage to be rescued (2023) by the IDF. She recalled, “The rescuers are my personal Supermen. My spirit cannot be broken,” and she reenlisted.
Two videos were shown covering topics like the IDF stepping in to get supplies out of JFK Airport (that China ultimately blocked) and the positive work of mental healthcare and treating PTSD.
Garry Sobel, FIDF National Board Member, brought up Karen Shulman, immediate past chair, who went head on to address the emergency needs of Oct. 7. She spoke of a new partnership with the Jewish Federation of Greater Atlanta, After the Shiva, offering assistance to bereaved families. Sobel labeled the evening as the “second gala during war. We cannot understand the sheer hate and brutality, yet the IDF ran towards the fire. We will never hide. Our hope is carried on the soldiers of the IDF.”
He made the analogy that the FIDF is the stretcher akin to shouldering wounded IDF soldiers: “Our soldiers fight like lions and lionesses.”
Keynote speaker Yoni Asseraf, IDF Medal of Courage Recipient, was in L.A. on Oct. 7, and returned to Israel Oct. 8 to join his special paratrooper team, whose mission was to drive back any second wave. He took a video on the Nova Music Festival and made it his mission to root out snipers. He shot into empty houses, judging whether to open fire on enemies holding white cloths.
He said, “We wanted to take them alive, strip and get information. He shared a harrowing time of being surrounded by Hezbollah while “squished in a bathroom with radios, while Hamas snipers dressed perfectly in IDF uniforms led a charge.”
He ended with a depiction of his grueling preparation. “We had trained for 16 months. One small mistake and you can be kicked out. We got little sleep and walked with blisters, vomiting our food … where we thought it was six miles, it was actually 10. You get used to it. That is the definition of resilience.”
During the pre-function hour, FIDF Impact Scholar sponsors Gail and Lyons Heyman recently met with their sponsored soldier who completed her IDF service in the South near Egypt to get a degree in communications thanks to the Heymans. According to Gail, the soldier was so incredibly grateful, orphaned as a young child … she felt like we were family.”
Renee Evans added that she supports four young men in Gaza. Real estate magnate Norman Radow praised the work of FIDF, “If we don’t stand up for ourselves, who will? We are all one Jewish family.”
Radow’s son, Neal, was a Lone Soldier.
Suzanne Eisenberg shared with the AJT that her two sons were also Lone Soldiers. One had a degree in engineering from Georgia Tech, who was reassigned from tank duty when they realized that he could redesign the whole logistics system The other won his unit’s Outstanding Award out of 150 troops.
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