US charity raising tax-deductible money for Israel's army
Nonprofit · United States · Organization
Friends of the Israel Defense Forces (FIDF) is a US 501(c)(3) charity that raises tax-deductible money for soldiers and units of the Israeli army. It reported $281.96M in revenue and $336.43M in total assets for fiscal 2023, up from $89.34M raised in 2022, and raised over $50M in the weeks after 7 October 2023. FIDF says it does not fund weapons, but its programmes directly support Israel's fighting force: 'Adopt a Brigade' sponsored 24 brigades (over 50,000 soldiers) with about $2.5M in 2022, and it builds facilities on IDF bases and pays scholarships for former combat soldiers. Its CEO is retired Israeli major general Nadav Padan. Billionaires fund it heavily: Oracle's Larry Ellison gave $16.6M at a 2017 gala that raised $53.8M. US taxpayers subsidise these gifts through the charitable deduction while the army it supports faces the ICC arrest warrants and the UN Commission of Inquiry genocide finding.
FIDF's revenue rose from $89.3M in 2022 to $282.0M in 2023, and it raised over $50M in the weeks after 7 October 2023. Its biggest named donors include Larry Ellison ($16.6M in 2017; $25M in all per Wikipedia) and Bernie Marcus (nearly $13M, 2009–2022).
Sources: Wikipedia, Record $53.8 million raised for Israeli soldiers at Beverly Hills gala
● confirmed by a primary document · ○ reported
$2.2 million to Friends of the Israel Defense Forces
Larry Ellison, the co-founder of Oracle and its executive chairman gave $16.6 million — the largest single gift in FIDF history.
A $5.3 million donation was made to Friends of the Israel Defense Forces, which sponsors programs and projects for current and former IDF soldiers.
Jared Kushner's name has been scrubbed from the national board of the Friends of the Israel Defense Forces, apparently following questions from the press about his continued involvement in the group.
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