IDFWO_British

Supporting Our Own
Thanks to individual donors, the IDFWO is able to thrive
and enhance the life of hundreds of widows and orphans. Here’s a look
at two donors bringing light into the lives of organisation members
• BY NOA AMOUYAL
“If we don’t support our own who
will?” Philip Silverman asked rhetorically.
That question is perhaps the mantra of
the Bimah Foundation, a family-funded
charity established six years ago. Driven
by a strong commitment to protect Israel
and the Jewish people, Silverman’s
parents decided to allocate his family’s
largesse to Israel and Jewish issues, he
explained.
“I think what came to our mind was urgency.
We didn’t grow up very religious,
but felt it is important to be connected
to Judaism and Israel as part of our heritage,”
he said.
As such, the IDFWO has been a major
benefactor of his family’s generosity and
Silverman is proud to be a pillar of support
for the organisation.
“We were really taken by the organisation.
Our family has a fondness for the
IDF and the men and women on the front
lines ensuring the security of Israel,” he explained.
“We want to do anything we can
to support them.”
“In the case of the IDFWO, these families
made the ultimate sacrifice. We feel as a
family, it is our duty to do what we can to
support them, whether it’s financial assistance,
helping with vocational training or
scholarships. We just want to do anything
to ease the burden and their horrible loss,”
he added.
Although the IDFWO offers a plethora
of initiatives to help support the bereaved,
the Silvermans decided to focus on the Otzma
camps and Widows’ retreat.
Those two initiatives offer something
that doesn’t have a monetary value: inner
peace.
“We saw that whole concept of camara-
Philip Silverman (centre) seen with
his parents and two siblings.
(Courtesy)
derie and having emotional support from
people who went through similar experiences
is very powerful,” Silverman said.
For donor David Benishai, what began
as a casual contribution to the IDFWO
became a love story between him and
the orphans. Today, the New York-based
businessman goes all out every year to
make the annual Bar and Bat Mitzvah trip
to North America an unforgettable experience
for the youngsters.
“When I first saw the children who came
to the United States, I decided that I would
take care of them, because it is addictive to
do so – they laugh and are happy, despite
lacking the presence of a parent,” Benishai
said.
The children attend a two week summer
camp and then conduct an informal tour
along the East Coast – Niagara Falls, Washington,
DC, and New York City – are just
some significant stops along the way.
“We organise a variety of activities for
them, and it’s a pleasure to witness. These
are children who have reached an important
year in their lives and do not have the
David Benishai (Marc Israel Sellem)
most important person for them – a father
or mother. It’s so gratifying to see them
happy,” he said.
Even though Benishai is a modest person
who prefers to remain in the shadows
and not talk about his work, he contributes
and assists other organisations that
he chooses carefully.
“My heart is always open for the IDFWO
and I am always willing to do everything
for them. I know quite a few people who
contribute to all kinds of places so they
can talk about them, so they can say that
they have contributed. That’s not my intention,”
he says bluntly. “These are people
who are loyal to their work and see it
as a mission, and therefore it is important
for me to be involved, to participate and to
give as much as possible.”
10 IDFWO MARCH 2018