The Friends of the IDF has received the highest 4-star rating from Charity Navigator, America's largest independent evaluator of charities.
Upon completion of their military service, Israel’s young men and women set their sights on the future. For most, this future will include the path of higher education. While this is an exciting time, many combat soldiers in the IDF, who come from a disadvantaged socioeconomic background, are not as fortunate. For them, the pursuit of higher education represents a dream rather than reality. Friends of the IDF’s IMPACT! Scholarship Program was created in order to make this dream come true by granting full four-year academic scholarships to these deserving IDF soldiers.
Since the program was established in 2002, over 1,400 IMPACT! scholarship recipients have graduated from more than 80 colleges, universities, and other academic institutions in Israel. Among them are 389 engineering graduates, 159 economics graduates, 147 law graduates, 100 exact sciences graduates, and 78 accounting graduates. There are currently over 3,400 students and graduates in Israel who are members of the IMPACT! family.
The concept of giving back to society stands at the heart of the IMPACT! Scholarship Program. Each IMPACT! student completes 130 hours of community service every year. They volunteer with 15 different organizations, helping children with disabilities, caring for the elderly, assisting cancer patients, and working with young people at risk. To date, IMPACT! students have volunteered in the community for a total of over 1 million hours in the past 7 years, making it the number one program in providing community service in Israel.
Sponsoring an IMPACT! student means becoming a part of their life, becoming a part of their future. The IMPACT! Program enables the sponsor to stay in touch with his/her student and hear first-hand about their experiences, studies, and dreams. IMPACT! sponsors can see the direct impact of their donations as the students they support make the transition from military life to civilian society and, later on, enter the Israeli workforce and help build up the national economy.
Netta Korin
Leon Recanati
Eri Steimtzky
Moshe Evry Sukenik Major General (Res.)
Elisha Yanay
Mission Statement
The FIDF initiates and helps support social, educational, cultural and recreational programs and facilities for the young men and women soldiers of Israel who defend the Jewish homeland. The FIDF also provides support for the families of fallen soldiers.
