About the Freedom Jump
Shalom!
I am very happy and proud to welcome all of our
visitors to the Israeli Freedom Jump Organization website. It embodies
the unique Airborne spirit that drives us – paratroopers from all over
the world – including the strong belief that people are able to achieve
their worthy goals and protect humanitarian values through strength,
courage, and intrepidity.
As an Israeli who was born in Algeria but had to
leave that country as a youngster in 1962, during the civil war for
Algerian Independence, I have never forgotten the prayers of my parents,
grandparents, and great grandparents. They never had the opportunity to
"live the miracle of Israel" or to see the Promised Land: “Next Year in
Jerusalem” always remained for them as a dream . . . one that I am
privileged to realize and live.
Married to a survivor who was born in the
Bergen-Belsen concentration camp of the Holocaust, today I am more than
proud to represent my country, but at the same time not to forget from
where I came, not to forget my story, and to be able to educate my
children and grandchildren, all of whom are sabras (born in the land of
Israel), to be faithful citizens of the State of Israel.
Israel has many true friends and supporters all
over the world and so, the way I choose to show everyone my home, my
country, is in this direct and natural way. Not only its strong military
side, but to show also Israel ‘s mosaic of other beautiful facets:
music, art, high technology industry and medical innovations; its
complex yet simple citizens; its workers, farmers, and scientists; the
varieties of smells and flavors from all over the world; the verdant
fields and flowers in the desert. Israel, in its amazing, natural
day-to-day life. Israel throughout history, the mother of two great
monotheistic religions.
I have always served the State as a soldier in the
Israel Defense Forces – three years in the active army and 28 years in
the reserves, including service in four bloody wars – with the strong
belief that I defend the land, my country, my people, and my kids. I
will never, ever, give my people’s enemies the opportunity to make me
relive again that sad paragraph in history of exodus and extermination.
My own experience from the past (the exodus from Algeria), and my wife's
experience (Ha Shoah – the Holocaust), are "Red lights on my life’s
journey."
I invite Paratroopers from every country, their
families and friends, to come see my land, taste our foods, and live our
history with us as it unfolds. Join us in this Holy Land and jump with
us.
I must recognize and thank the Airborne Soldiers of
the Israel Defense Forces, IDF HQ, The Airborne School Commander and
Jump Masters, The Ministry of Tourism, and each of you, one by one,
Freedom Jump participants from US, France, Italy, Germany, South Africa,
Singapore, Denmark, Sweden, UK, Holland, Canada, and Greece. Who I
consider "Ambassadors for the Airborne Spirit and for Israel.”
Yoav Dror
Freedom Jump Event Manager