FIDF to honor four Lawrence residents

Honoring four Lawrence residents and celebrating the 70th anniversary of Israel is all part of the seventh annual the Friends of the Israeli Defense Force Greater South Shore Community Event at the Sephardic Temple in Cedarhurst on May 9.

Dr. Daniel Moskovic, his wife Perri, and Baruch Glaubach and his wife, Ariel, will be recognized for their support of the Jewish state and the IDF soldiers. Benjamin Brafman, also from Lawrence, will again emcee the celebratory program.

“It’s a privilege, though I’m not sure why we are deserving,” Moskovic said, about being honored. “We’ve been involved with the organization for a number of years, and I think it’s important to make sure there’s a conductivity between the IDF, Israel and our community as the next generation assumes our place in the professional world and as community leaders.”

Glaubach, like Moskovic was humble about receiving the award, “We weren’t looking for recognition,” he said speaking for himself and his wife. “You have to lead by example, the FIDF is very important, they support people who won’t always have a support system around them.”

Established in 1981 by a group of Holocaust survivors, the FIDF is a not-for-profit organization that supports the soldiers in Israel. The event will feature active-duty and former soldiers, including a few “Lone Soldiers,” troops that don’t have any immediate family in Israel. Those soldiers come from several countries, including the U.S.

“We’re very excited about the program,” said Felicia Solomon, the FIDF Long Island Director. “The soldiers talk about their experience and how they’ve connected with the communities … it’s an incredible experience for everyone.”

The keynote speaker is Israeli Air Force Brigadier General (Reserve) Joshua Shani, the current CEO of Lockheed Martin Israel, the world’s largest weapon’s manufacturer. Shani was the lead pilot on Operation Entebbe, a mission to Uganda’s Entebbe Airport in 1976, in which he helped rescue 102 hostages on a hijacked Air France flight. The events inspired the movies “Victory at Entebbe” in 1976, “Raid on Entebbe” and “Operation Thunderbolt,” both released in 1977 and this year’s “7 Days in Entebbe.”

Brafman is the master of ceremonies for the seventh consecutive year row. “I urge people to attend,” he said. “It’s one of the most powerful dinners in the Five Towns. The community grows each year, and it’s a very important way to show support for Israel and the IDF.”

Proceeds from the dinner will go to educational and well-being programs for the soldiers. The Sephardic Temple is at 775 Branch Blvd., Cedarhurst. A buffet dinner is served at 7 p.m., and the program follows. For more information, go to https://www.fidf.org