FIDF :: Friends of the Israel Defense Forces

Making an IMPACT!

You can make a direct IMPACT! on the life of an Israeli soldier through the gift of an education. IMPACT! is a program of the Friends of the Israel Defense Forces that grants full 4 year scholarships to Israeli soldiers who have completed their military service.

The IMPACT! Scholarship Program is truly unique. 100% of your contribution goes directly to the payment of the students' tuition at an accredited college, university or vocational school in Israel . Every scholarship sponsor is matched up with a student. The personal nature of the program enables the sponsors to directly see the "impact" of their donations on the soldiers' lives.

To be eligible for a scholarship, soldiers must have served in a combat unit and come from a disadvantaged socioeconomic background that would prevent them from pursuing a higher education. Any IDF soldier- male or female- can receive a scholarship if he or she meets these criteria.

The recipients are chosen by an international Grant Committee, composed of highly regarded representatives from the IDF, Israeli universities, along with Israeli and American business leaders. The main objective of the Grant Committee is to select the most deserving soldiers based both on service merit and on need.

Each IMPACT! scholarship recipient is required to complete 130 hours of community service per year during the full term of their scholarship. The combined efforts of the IMPACT! students are coordinated and directed towards particular problem areas within their communities.

These are Israel 's future leaders who, with your help, can realize their great potential. A contribution to the IMPACT! Scholarship Program resonates far beyond the individual students, to their communities, and to the future of the State of Israel.

Scholarships will provide $4,000 a year for 4 years to the recipient. This amount will cover their tuition, and may go toward other expenses, such as books or educational tools.

More than 550 IDF combat veterans have been awarded scholarships in the program's first two years of operation, in the academic year 2004/05 more than 830 soldiers will be able to start or continue their academic career with the help of the Friends of the IDF.

Scholarship donors will receive an initial letter and photo from their recipient(s), followed by at least one letter per semester, which will update their scholastic achievements. Many sponsors have begun personal relationships with their students. They correspond through letters, e-mails and phone calls. Some have had the opportunity to meet their students in person, either during a visit to Israel or by bringing them to the U.S. to visit.

All donations to this scholarship program are tax deductible. Donations to this fund will go only to the scholarship program. General administration expenses will not be charged to this program.

Members of the Grant Committee

Co-Chairmen

Professor Israel Zang
Vice rector, Tel Aviv University
Professor in the Faculty of Management
Tel Aviv University

Gerald Mizel
President of "Mizel and Associates"
Proprietor owner of
MMM Investment Company
Board Member of American
& Israeli Corps.

Grant Committee Members

Dan Haloutz
Lieutenant General
Chief of Staff

Doron Almog
Major General (Res.)

Gabi Ashkenazi
Major General

Yoav Gallant
Major General

Avi Mizrachi
Brigadier General

Elazar Stern
Major General

Yiftah Ron-Tal
Major General

Professor Israel Zang
Co-Chairman of the Grant Committee

Dr. Liora Weinbach

Prof. Amos Shapira

David Assia

Professor Raphael Feinmesser

Noa Heled
Educational head Unit, UPDS (Ministry of Defense)

Alon Kaplan, Esq.

Dr. Michael Kalisman

Shuki Kedar
Lieutenant Colonel (Res.)

Jacob (Jack) Lahav

Amos Malka
Major General (Res.)

Adi Mor

Leon Recanati

Gil Regev
Major General (Res.)

Yona Shoham

Eri Steimatzky

Elisha Yanay

Issac Zinger, CPU

Make a donation to the IMPACT program