About the New Jersey Chapter

The New Jersey Chapter of FIDF began back in 1970 when three Lone Soldiers – Sammy Bar Or, Avi Oren and Mike Gross – met while serving in the IDF. After returning to the United States, they reunited and decided they wanted to provide for other Lone Soldiers. That commitment was realized in 2004 when they founded the Chapter with our first Annual IDF Tribute Dinner in 2005 and today we are approximately 25,000 strong.

Since our beginning, the New Jersey Chapter has been very active supporting a variety of activities such as the Legacy Bnei Mitzvah program. Through this program, bar and bat mitzvah aged children support IDF soldiers with their tzedakah projects. Our most recent Gala raised over $1M to support the young men and women of the IDF.

UPCOMING EVENTS
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NEWS
Standing: (from left) FIDF Tri-State Executive Director Galit Brichta; Hadar Edelstein; Maj. Gen. Michael Edelstein; FIDF Chairman Emeritus Arthur Stark; Sylvia Stark. Sitting: (from left) Brig. Gen. (Res.) Gila Klifi-Amir; FIDF National Director and CEO Maj. Gen. (Res.) Meir Klifi-Amir; Donna Calcaterra; Wayne Fried; Isabelle Klaus

Hundreds attend 2018 New Jersey dinner, raising over $4 million

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More than 400 members of the New Jersey Jewish community gathered this Oct. 7 at the Teaneck Marriott at Glenpointe for the New Jersey Chapter Annual Tribute Dinner to support the brave men and women of the Israel Defense Forces, including N.J. natives serving as ‘Lone Soldiers’ – those who immigrate to Israel without immediate family in order to serve in the IDF. The dinner, which has become one of the N.J. Jewish community’s premier events, celebrated Israel's 70th birthday as FIDF and its supporters saluted seven decades of heroes and hope. To recognize this anniversary, a special ceremony honored...
New Jersey Lone Soldier and his parents

2017 New Jersey Gala

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400 New Jersey supporters gathered at the FIDF New Jersey Tribute Dinner on December 10th to pay tribute to Israel's brave soldiers. The evening raised more than $1,000,000 to provide life-changing support to thousands of soldiers, Lone Soldiers, wounded veterans, and bereaved families. We were joined by several incredible IDF soldiers including New Jersey Lone Soldiers Jesse Talmud and Avioz Hanan. Hhere are some of their stories: Sergeant Maor was a combat fighter in the IDF's elite unit Duvdevan. In his role, Maor went undercover and was responsible for capturing the most wanted terrorists. Last night, he shared with us...

New Jersey Hosts Bereaved Children for Their Bar/Bat Mitzvah

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Sixteen children and siblings of fallen IDF soldiers visited Long Island and New Jersey as part of the Friends of the Israel Defense Forces LEGACY program to attend an unforgettable weeklong recreation camp. FIDF supporters in Long Island and New Jersey hosted the Israeli teens – all of whom have lost a family member who was serving in Israel’s military – at their homes in the Great Neck, N.Y., and Deal, N.J., areas before and after the camp as part of the LEGACY experience. At Camp Ramah in the Berkshires, in Wingdale, N.Y., the Israeli teens bonded with each other...
Lior Raz at New Jersey FIDF Event

Parlor Meeting with Lior Raz of Fauda

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The co-creator and star of the hit Israeli Netflix show Fauda, Lior Raz, gathered with over 30 New Jersey FIDF supporters at the home of FIDF New Jersey Co-Chairs Jodi and Saul Scherl on to help the brave men and women of the Israel Defense Forces. “I cannot take out the warrior inside of me. I am a Zionist and I have to protect my family and friends” Raz told the FIDF gathering. Funds raised at the event helped construct well-being and recreational facilities for an elite IDF unit in the Negev Desert. So far, $560,000 has been raised for...
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BOARD MEMBERS

Adam Bell Harry Tuvel Ronit Hanan
Amy Geldzahler Jay Zimmet Sammy Bar-Or
Annette Stern Jodi Scherl Saul Scherl
Avi Oren Lance Drucker Seth Geldzahler
Mel Berger Lisa Nadler Sharon Raanan
Brian Katz Lloyd Sokoloff Shelly Talmud
Moshe Cazaz Marc Breslaw Steve Mermelstein
Cheri Deshe Marc Zimmet Steve Talmud
David Moskovic Martin Heistein Sylvia Zimmet
Debbie Cazaz Melinda Lowell-Paltrow Thomas Nadler
Beth Drucker Michael Axelrod
Ellen Sokoloff Norbert Schacter