The Ohio Chapter was founded in 1986 by a group of committed volunteers. The Chapter encompasses Northeast Ohio covering Cleveland, Akron, Canton, Youngstown, and Toledo, and recently branched out to Southern Ohio to include Columbus, Dayton, Cincinnati. The entire state has now joined forces to support the men and women of the IDF through a wide variety of programs as well as annual local missions to Israel.

Our community funds 100 IMPACT! students every year, and we’re involved with the Central Region in adopting the IDF Paratrooper Brigade as part of FIDF’s Adopt a Brigade program.

Over the past 11 years, our signature event has been Guys Night Out raising funds for bases throughout Israel and to adopt the Northern Command Battalion in Gaza. In addition, the Ohio Chapter has sponsored leisure clubs, mobile gyms, and synagogues all over Israel. In 2022, we launched our inaugural Bourbon and Bubbles event in Southern Ohio with over 250 new supporters raising more funds for our soldiers.

We are particularly proud of our role in renovating the basketball court and gym at the Havat HaShomer base. Havat HaShomer base takes young men who are on the fringe of society, often socially disadvantaged or with histories of behavioral or criminal issues. Through FIDF’s Project Overcome, in 10 short weeks, the program transforms their lives by integrating them into the IDF and thereafter into Israeli society.

Proudly serving the soldiers of the IDF,
Ohio Professional Staff