Star-studded Hollywood bash raises $33 million for Israeli army
Sylvester Stallone, Arnold Schwarzenegger and Pamela Anderson attended the gala
Hollywood heavyweights Barbra Streisand, Sylvester Stallone, Arnold Schwarzenegger and Pamela Anderson attended a gala which rasied a record-breaking $33.5 million for the Israeli Defense Force in Los Angeles this week.
The stars were among 1,200 guests at the annual Friends of the Israel Defense Forces event.
“It is incredibly touching to see how advocacy for the FIDF has grown in Los Angeles,” Haim Saban, the American-Israeli philanthropist chair of the gala, said in comments carried by The Times of Israel.
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“The caliber of Gala attendees from Hollywood, tech, business and other walks of life — especially a large contingent of people without ties to Israel or Judaism — ultimately speaks to their admiration for the heroic men and women of the IDF and the incredible work that the FIDF does to support them,” Saban added.
Oracle co-founder Larry Ellison donated $10 million, while Maurice and Paul Marciano of Guess Jeans donated $5.2 million and New York Giants president Steve Tisch gave $2 million.
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“In my mind, there is no greater honor than supporting some of the bravest people in the world, and I thank FIDF for providing us with this opportunity year-after-year to celebrate and support these soldiers,” said Larry Ellison, according to The Times of Israel. “These men and women come together with indefatigable purpose, to defend Israel and strive to co-exist in peace.”
The FIDF provides educational and cultural activities for IDF soldiers and supports the families soldiers.
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