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Friends of the Israel Defense Forces (FIDF) Invite Haitian Community Leaders to the 2010 FIDF Solidarity Dinner on March 11, 2010

Within 15 hours of the devastating earthquake in Haiti, Israel delegated a powerful relief mission, comprised of rescue teams from the IDF Home Front Command and Medical personnel from the IDF Medical Corps. The delegation also included the following: Security, C4I personnel, and a search and identification team.

The FIDF initiates and supports social, educational, cultural and recreational programs and facilities for the young men and women soldiers of Israel who defend the Jewish homeland. The FIDF also provides support for the families of fallen soldiers. This annual event, beginning at 5:00pm on March 11, 2010 at the Westin Diplomat Hotel in Hollywood, Florida, will highlight and honor officers from the Israel Defense Forces who, regardless of catastrophic circumstances, coordinate efforts to rescue and save lives worldwide.

Three medical camps were established immediately in Port-au-Prince upon the arrival of the IDF with a capability of treating up to 500 patients per day. The fully equipped Field Hospital consisted of operating rooms, an intensive care unit, maternity and pediatric wards, and a fully stocked pharmacy. An additional 10 tons of equipment and 250 medical personnel were delivered onsite.

The medical delegation treated more than 1,110 patients, 319 successful surgeries were conducted, and 16 new births were delivered, three being complicated Cesarean sections due to the extremely injured state of the mothers, due to the quake. The delegation left 30 tons of medical equipment for use in the ongoing aid effort, to be distributed to tent-cities in different locations across Haiti.

Rachel Sapoznik, Founder and CEO of Sapoznik Insurance, said, "I have attended many FIDF events, all of which have been incredibly touching and informative. This year, we have a duty as world-citizens to thank the IDF for their extraordinary and lifesaving efforts in Haiti. What better way to thank the IDF than to invite prominent Haitian leaders from our community to pay tribute to the IDF's heroic and timely response to the earthquake in Haiti? We are proud to support the FIDF in honoring the Israel Defense Forces for their continued heroic efforts in saving lives worldwide."

Friends of the IDF, Miami Chapter, 305-354-8233
or
Rachel Sapoznik, 305-948-8887
FIDFMIAMI@FIDF.ORG