November 18, 2016
Merage Foundation Israel Visits CIG, Discusses Wings Program
In November, Adi Boblil, Division Director of Community Development and Education of Merage Foundation Israel, visited Consolidated Investment Group (CIG) and gave a presentation on Wings, a multi-faceted program that provides support and guidance to lone immigrant soldiers serving in the Israel Defense Forces (IDF).
According to Adi, passion and ideology drive young people from all over the world to immigrate to Israel (or “make Aliyah”), leaving behind their families, friends, and the life they know. Each year, approximately 2,500 of these new immigrants join the IDF. And, through a variety of services—group workshops, enlistment preparation, and mentoring programs—Wings ensures that these soldiers do not fall through the cracks of Israeli society.
Adi noted that 72% of past participants reported that Wings helped them manage the challenges of education, finance, employment, and legal rights. Additionally, 90% of past participants had said that they planned to live in Israel after serving in the IDF.
Adi’s visit to CIG was a part of a larger trip to the United States with two lone immigrant soldiers, Maria Kol Yaakov, originally from Kazakhstan, and Tony Raichler from Venezuela. They traveled across the East Coast to share their personal stories and their experience in the Wings program.
More information about the Wings program can be found at www.wings.il.
