A Summer of Giving

The Dermont family of Greenwich, CT was recognized for their support of the SOULdier Recharge program during a visit to an Ashkelon IDF base in July.

This past summer, IDF bases from the north to the south were bustling with FIDF donors who were eager to see their gifts come to fruition to benefit Israel’s courageous soldiers.

The Satovsky family of West Bloomfield, Michigan, donated a “leisure corner” to the 188th Barak Armor Brigade, which guards Israel’s Northern border, and were there for its official inauguration in June. Colonel Elad, the Deputy Commander, who was accompanied by 20 soldiers from headquarters, presented the Satovskys with a personalized gift and heartfelt thanks. Leisure corners are vital structures for IDF soldiers on the front lines, providing them with a functional space for recuperation from the brutal and sweltering environments in which they operate. Each leisure corner is equipped with roofing, bench seating, and comfortable cushions, accommodating up to 10 soldiers at a time.

The Dermont family of Greenwich was also honored for their contribution towards the wellbeing of IDF soldiers through FIDF’s “SOULdier Recharge” program. In July, the family visited a sports center at an IDF base in Ashkelon where the unit they supported presented the family with a certificate of recognition. SOULdier Recharge is a week-long educational program that takes combat soldiers out of their day-to-day operational activities and provides them with a chance to process their experiences on the battlefield and mentally prepare for what inevitably lies ahead. The curriculum, which includes a range of activities including sports, cultural experiences, heritage courses, lectures, and social activities, is designed to educate soldiers about the nature of their duties as soldiers and citizens of Israel, while rejuvenating their spirits and encouraging camaraderie among units.

Earlier in the summer, Marshall Polk, chair of FIDF’s Arizona Chapter and staunch supporter of FIDF’s IMPACT! Scholarship Program, dedicated a project to the Gaza division in memory of his wife, Judie, and a second with his brother in memory of their parents.