Hat Tip: Fern Sidman
By: Baruch Gordon and Chana Ya’ar
Israel National News
“Once again we are surrounded on every side by those who want to destroy us – and they don’t hide it,” says Rebetzin Esther Jungreis.
Fred, Ronny and Gary – guests at FIDF Long Island Dinner
Israel news photo: courtesy LIFIDF
Renowned international speaker Rebbetzin Esther Jungreis warns that once again, “the dark days” are returning and Jews are surrounded by those who want to destroy us — “and they don’t hide it.”
Speaking at the recent Long Island New York Friends of the Israel Defense Forces (FIDF) Dinner, the Holocaust survivor and renowned educator and speaker said it’s very easy to forget what it was like when the Jews were singled out for torture, murder, and slaughter.
“The whole world was ready to consume us, and today… once again, we are surrounded on every side by those who want to destroy us – and they don’t hide it, she noted.
Jungreis bemoaned the fact that Iranian President Ahmadinejad was invited to Columbia University campus by students: “Do you understand this? We are seeing it even with our own eyes. The world has become dark again.”
Holocaust survivor Rebetzin Esther Jungreis
Ahmadinejad has been quoted numerous times as threatening to “wipe Israel off the map.”
The Long Island FIDF this year honored Holocaust survivors “to do something different – to hear what happened in Europe in the Holocaust and juxtapose that to why it’s important to have a strong IDF, so that the Holocaust will never happen again,“ explained Dinner Committee Executive Fred Endzweig, himself from Germany.
The event, held at the Great Neck Country Club, attracted Jews of all stripes and types. “Black hat” religious Jews and those with knit yarmulkas joined the mostly traditional crowd which itself was an even mix of Ashkenazi and Sephardic Jews.
Nily Falic, National Chairman of the FIDF and the driving force behind it, explained in simple words what the magic of the organization is in attracting such a variety of Jews: “For us, FIDF is actually synonymous with the State of Israel. There is no State of Israel without the IDF, and there is no IDF without the State of Israel. This is of primary importance in all of our lives.”
National FIDF Chairman Nily Falic (right) standing with FIDF National Director Major General (Res.) Yitzhak Gershon and Lt. Col. Chezy Deutsch]
The funds raised by FIDF go towards several projects to help soldiers. “When a combat soldier finishes his military service, he may turn to the FIDF to qualify for an ‘Impact Scholarship,’ which pays his way through college studies,” says Abbey Nickinson, Projects Manager for the organization’s Tri-State region. “The Long Island chapter of FIDF underwrites 55 such soldiers,” she added.
FIDF also equips bases with fitness and recreation equipment. In addition, “Lone soldiers” — those who immigrate and serve without family in Israel — are eligible for assistance in renting and furnishing an apartment.
Despite threats to exterminate Israel, Rebbetzin Jungreis closed her remarks saying that in these days, things are different: “Thank G-d, now we have an Israeli army, and we have a Father in the heavens above.”
Eleven-year-old Natalie Ben Josef, beaming a huge smile at the opportunity to speak into a journalist’s microphone, summed up the evening explaining why she attended the event: “To support the soldiers of Israel.”
In Memoriam
Available at Amazon.com 
I’m glad this is happening. I’ve only been on the computer for 3 years- and I’m still reelling from the anti-Semitism on it.
The college kids today are little, cowardly racists. They’ve been brain-washed by their low-life professors to hate Israel, and Jews. They don’t know the history of Israel, or the Jews. They don’t know what Moslems have done to Jews. It’s all so pathetic.
It’s only going to get worse and we need to protect ourselves.
Bravo for helping us!
“We are surrounded on every side,” including from the United States under the present leadership and we even have wealthy Jews from the AJC holding fundraisers at $10,000 + a plate to help reelect Obama. Talk about “useful idiots.” When and if Obama comes to power for another four years, who do you think he will come after first. He is already vilifying the “rich.” Who historically is referred to as “the rich?”
Look at Obama’s pastor for 20 years, Jeremiah Wright and all his other friends – Rashid Khalidi, Rashad Hussain, the Revolutionaries he has befriended and/or appointed as his advisors: Bill Ayers, Van Jones, Mark Lloyd, John Holdren, Ron Bloom, Cass Sunstein etc., his disrespect for Netanyahu, his involvement in the overthrow of Mubarak in Egypt – he knew that the radical Islamists would come to power (Muslim Brotherhood.) In Libya he supported the “rebels” who were Al Qaeda, now radicals are coming to power in Libya. He wants to create chaos in the Middle East – that is his goal and then to destroy Israel. The people of Germany also loved a charismatic leader at that time.