30 leaders and supporters of Friends of the Israel Defense Forces (FIDF), from all walks of life and from across the U.S., will arrive in Israel next month to join the first-ever FIDF Women’s Mission to Israel.
The participants will get a rare glimpse into the IDF and show their solidarity with and appreciation for Israel’s brave soldiers.
The mission, which will take place between March 3 and 10, will bring women of FIDF’s 15 chapters together with officers and soldiers of the IDF.
Mission participants will receive in-depth briefings by senior military officers, meet with state leaders, including former Defense Minister Moshe Ya’alon and members of the Knesset, hear from Israeli women inventors and trailblazers who have changed the face of Israeli society, tour strategic IDF bases to get a behind-the-scenes look into the Israeli military, and experience Israel in an entirely new way.
Co-chairing this inaugural FIDF Women’s Mission will be FIDF New England Board Member Sharon Mishkin and Brig. Gen. (Res.) Gila Klifi-Amir, a 30-year veteran of the IDF who served as the chief of the general staff’s advisor on women’s affairs and handled all matters relating to women’s service in the Israeli military.
“This first-of-its-kind mission will allow our supporters to forge even deeper bonds with the brave women of the IDF,” said Mishkin. “These soldiers risk their lives protecting the State of Israel and Jews worldwide. This is an excellent opportunity for FIDF supporters to witness and experience the impact of their life-changing contributions to the well-being of Israel’s soldiers, and it’s a wonderful chance for us to personally thank the IDF soldiers for their service.”
“As a woman officer, I often found myself trying to break the glass ceiling. When I was serving in the IDF, it felt as though this ceiling was made of concrete. But I was able to break through and open the way for future generations of women,” said Klifi-Amir.
“Up until 20 years ago, women in the IDF served in a narrow range of administration and support roles. Today, 95 percent of all jobs in the IDF are open to women, who serve as pilots, infantry soldiers, artillery combat soldiers, electronic warfare specialists, and anti-aircraft and naval officers – and as many as 11 percent of combat soldiers drafted every year are women. In the last five years, due to increased motivation of women to join combat positions, this number grew by 400 percent,” she added.
FIDF was established in 1981 by a group of Holocaust survivors as a not-for-profit organization with the mission of offering educational, cultural, recreational, and social programs and facilities that provide hope, purpose, and life-changing support for the soldiers who protect Israel and Jews worldwide.
FIDF has more than 150,000 loyal supporters, and 15 regional offices throughout the U.S. and Panama. FIDF supports IDF soldiers, families of fallen soldiers, and wounded veterans through a variety of innovative programs that reinforce the vital bond between the communities in the United States, the soldiers of the IDF, and the State of Israel.