Philanthropist leads group of businessmen to visit IDF base

In a trip organized by Friends of the Israel Defense Forces, 20 prominent business and philanthropic interfaith leaders—many of whom hadn’t been to Israel before—came to the Negev and visited the main IDF training base, Tze’elim.

The visit was hosted by FIDF supporter and philanthropist Alan Ginsburg of Orlando, Florida, as part of a mission trip aimed at giving the guests an inside look into the IDF and show the soldiers their solidarity and appreciation.

The list of participants included Daivd Lamm, chairman and CEO of Lamm & Company Partners, a leader in Central Florida build-to-suit commercial contracting; entrepreneur Marco Fiorese, who is the founder of Ivita Investment Group, a private investment company dedicated to innovation and social impact in the health industry; and Bill Nelson, a U.S. attorney and politician who served as a U.S. senator from Florida, was in the Florida House of Representatives.

Also accompanying the FIDF supporters were FIDF executive director in Israel Brig.-Gen. (Res.) Effi Idan; and FIDF Florida executive director Dina Ben Ari.

Every year, Ginsburg provides meaningful support to IDF soldiers and veterans through FIDF’s various educational and scholarship programs, which transform thousands of lives. For example, FIDF’s IMPACT! Program grants four-year, higher-education scholarships to combat and combat-support soldiers from challenging socioeconomic backgrounds. These programs are able to give soldiers the chance to break out of the cycle of poverty and build for themselves and Israeli society a better future.

“It is my honor to introduce these prominent Florida leaders to the wonders of Israel and the work of FIDF,” said Ginsburg. “What made this visit so powerful is that participants gained an immediate and visceral appreciation of how Israel is a nation on 24/7 alert, and as a result—how committed its soldiers remain to protecting the Land of Israel and the Jewish people.”