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The Jewish Love Affair with the IDF
(Los Angeles Jewish Journal) Tabby Refael - On Nov. 6, I attended a luncheon in honor of IDF soldiers organized by Friends of the IDF (FIDF) Western Region. The 2021 delegation included Lt. S., who serves in the IDF Home Front Command; Cpl. A., a self-described "troubled kid" who now serves as a commander in the Education Corps; and a father and son duo - the father, Lt.-Col. Y., an F-16 pilot, and his son, Cpl. J., who serves in an Iron Dome unit. As I watched hundreds of attendees give the soldiers one standing ovation after another, I thought: This is extremely unusual. Do those around the world who identify as French or Francophile, but who don't live in France, attend events in support of the French army and embrace French soldiers as their own children? Are Korean Americans moved to tears upon meeting young Korean soldiers in Los Angeles? But there they were, hundreds of non-Israeli Jews, cheering and hugging Israeli soldiers with an unconditional love reminiscent of family bonds. As the army of the Jewish state, love for the IDF defies nationality.