Turmoil at FIDF

Today’s episode is dedicated to the memory of Ari Loren, z’’l. 

Ari, his wife Miri, and their five boys have been dear friends of ours since our Carmel Academy days, back when we lived in Westchester, NY. Ari was one of the most passionate Zionists I’ve ever known—so much so that he and Miri chose to be the lead sponsors of my recent book, Israel 201, which I co-wrote with Benji Lovitt. I’m deeply grateful—for their support, and even more so for the privilege of knowing Ari.

May his memory be a blessing.

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In this episode of Inside Israel, I talk about recent troubling revelations about Friends of the IDF (FIDF)—including misleading messaging, misuse of funds, and a lack of transparency around where your donations actually go. 

I’m not here to tell you whether to give or not. But if you’ve ever supported FIDF—or considered it—you deserve to know what’s going on. 

I’ll share what’s been reported, what I’ve personally seen as a longtime host for the organization, and how you can make informed choices moving forward.

And as always, I’ll answer your questions. 

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Israel 201, co-authored by Joel and Benji Lovitt and Winner of the 2023 National Jewish Book Award: www.joelchasnoff.com/books

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