In just three short years, the New York City Chapter of Young Leadership of the Friends of the IDF has risen from obscurity to the now leading Young Leadership organization in Manhattan , producing the future leaders of the Jewish community today.

Young Leadership was launched when its founder, Mitch Silber , decided that he no longer wanted to sit back and passively watch as events unfolded in Israel . Mitch took it upon himself to organize a movie for a small group of friends dealing with the Yom Kippur War, and the rest as they say is history. Soon more and more people started to mobilize in support of the organization, and their efforts led to a number of fundraising events at various hot-spots in Manhattan where the organization and its mission were highlighted.

The turning point for the organization though, came on November 11, 2003. Over 1,100 young people came out to support the 1 st Annual Young Leadership FIDF Gala, a casino night themed evening that raised in excess of $300,000. This evening solidified Young Leadership as a powerhouse organization in New York City , and set the stage for an exciting future.

That evening ultimately served as a springboard for our incredibly successful mission to Israel in the summer of young people took a journey to Israel that changed not only their lives, but the lives of all of the soldiers with whom they came in contact. The highlight of the trip was unquestionably the Tzahal Day in Ashkelon for over 8,000 combat soldiers, sponsored by Young Leadership, where all of today's top Israeli acts performed, and a check from Young Leadership was presented for almost $600,000.

Building on the success of our mission and Gala, another Casino Night was held in November 2004. This evening not only redefined our organization, it re-set the bar for all organizations. Over 1,700 people attended our Gala and raised in excess of $400,000. A truly proud moment for our Young Leadership Board.

2005 has already opened with its share of momentous occasions. At almost 40 members, our Board is a broad representation of the entire Jewish community. The onset of the year saw us officially ratify our By-Laws, thereby establishing our permanence and legitimacy within the organization. In a sign of the caliber of leaders that Young Leadership is producing, our Board member Peter Reisman decided to pass on a lucrative career at the prestigious law firm of Cravath, Swaine & Moore LLP and join the IDF. We wish Peter the best of luck, and are sure that he will not be the last from our ranks to make a life for themselves in Israel.

We encourage you to come and join us as we continue to grow and make inroads in providing for a safer State of Israel. Only by establishing a strong Young Leadership organization can we ensure the success of this organization's support of the future defenders of the State of Israel. Along the way you are guaranteed to have experiences, and meet people, who will change your life forever.