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85-686: Since its founding, over 200,000 participants from more than 60 countries have taken part in Masa programs. These programs offer a diverse range of opportunities, including volunteering, taking a gap year, teaching English to children in Israel's periphery, interning, working or studying. At Masa, the programs are designed to align with participants' personal aspirations, offering a sense of belonging among like minded individuals. Masa Israel Journey offers generous financial support to those eligible. Masa also provides educational enrichment programs and workshops led by

170-612: A battle would ensue. Sharon had assaulted Themed in a dawn attack, and had stormed the town with his armor through the Themed Gap. Sharon routed the Sudanese police company, and captured the settlement. On his way to the Nakla , Sharon's men came under attack from Egyptian MIG-15s. On the 30th, Sharon linked up with Eytan near Nakla. Dayan had no more plans for further advances beyond the passes, but Sharon nonetheless decided to attack

255-501: A camp in Mafraq and the 6 were later traded back. Sharon denied the claims, but Majali was adamant. "Sharon is like a grizzly bear," he assured. "I captured him for 9 days, I healed his wounds and released him due to his insignificance." A few fellow high-ranking Jordanian officers testified in favour of his account. " In 1994 and during the peace treaty signing ceremony with Jordan, Sharon wanted to get in touch with his former captor, but

340-560: A cost of more than a thousand dead and some 5,000 wounded. Sharon would later recall that what Schneerson had told him was a tragedy, "but unfortunately, that happened." In the 1940s and 1950s, Sharon seemed to be personally devoted to the ideals of Mapai , the predecessor of the modern Labor Party . However, after retiring from military service, he joined the Liberal Party and was instrumental in establishing Likud in July 1973 by

425-480: A family member disappeared during the time of the massacre. Nearly all of the victims were men. The Phalange militia went into the camps to clear out PLO fighters while Israeli forces surrounded the camps, blocking camp exits and providing logistical support. The killings led some to label Sharon "the Butcher of Beirut". An Associated Press report on 15 September 1982 stated, "Defence Minister Ariel Sharon, in

510-866: A highly polarizing figure in Middle Eastern history. Israelis almost universally revere Sharon as a war hero and statesman, whereas Palestinians and Human Rights Watch have criticized him as a war criminal, with the latter lamenting that he was never held accountable. Ariel (Arik) Scheinerman (later Sharon) was born in Kfar Malal , an agricultural moshav , then in Mandatory Palestine , to Shmuel Scheinerman (1896–1956) of Brest-Litovsk and Vera (née Schneirov) Scheinerman (1900–1988) of Mogilev . His parents met while at university in Tiflis (now Tbilisi , Republic of Georgia), where Sharon's father

595-587: A large-scale raid along the western shore of the Gulf of Suez. Landing craft ferried across Russian-made tanks and armored personnel carriers that Israel had captured in 1967, and the small column harried the Egyptians for ten hours. Following his appointment to the southern command, Sharon had no further promotions, and considered retiring. Sharon discussed the issue with Rabbi Menachem M. Schneerson , who strongly advised him to remain at his post. Sharon remained in

680-586: A merger of Herut , the Liberal Party and independent elements. Sharon became chairman of the campaign staff for that year's elections , which were scheduled for November. Two and a half weeks after the start of the election campaign, the Yom Kippur War erupted and Sharon was called back to reserve service. On the heels of being hailed as a war hero for crossing the Suez in the 1973 war, Sharon won

765-562: A mortar battery and some AMX-13 tanks under the command of Mordechai Gur into the Heitan Defile on the afternoon of 31 October 1956. The Egyptian forces occupied strong defensive positions and brought down heavy anti-tank, mortar and machine gun fire on the IDF force. Gur's men were forced to retreat into the "Saucer", where they were surrounded and came under heavy fire. Hearing of this, Sharon sent in another task force while Gur's men used

850-647: A night-raid on Iraqi forces at Bir Adas, Sharon was made a platoon commander in the Alexandroni Brigade . Following the Israeli Declaration of Independence and the onset of the War of Independence , his platoon fended off the Iraqi advance at Kalkiya. Sharon was regarded as a hardened and aggressive soldier, swiftly moving up the ranks during the war. He was shot in the groin, stomach and foot by

935-536: A program into a journey, making it so much more. Throughout the participants' time in Israel they take part in various MLIC programming and events. For example, Masa hosts the largest English speaking Yom HaZikaron event in the world, which is also live streamed worldwide. In 2024, over 1,000,000 people tuned in. In addition, the MLIC is also responsible for hosting the annual Opening of the Year Ceremony to celebrate

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1020-558: A school. Facing international condemnation for the attack, Ben-Gurion denied that the Israeli military was involved. In his memoir, Sharon wrote that the unit had checked all the houses before detonating the explosives and that he thought the houses were empty. Although he admitted the results were tragic, Sharon defended the attack, however: "Now people could feel that the terrorist gangs would think twice before striking, now that they knew for sure they would be hit back. Kibbya also put

1105-519: A seat to the Knesset in the elections that year, but resigned a year later. From June 1975 to March 1976, Sharon was a special aide to Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin . He planned his return to politics for the 1977 elections ; first, he tried to return to the Likud and replace Menachem Begin at the head of the party. He suggested to Simha Erlich , who headed the Liberal Party bloc in the Likud, that he

1190-490: A small scout force, which was met with heavy fire and became bogged down due to vehicle malfunction in the middle of the pass. Sharon ordered the rest of his troops to attack to aid their comrades. Sharon was criticized by his superiors and was damaged by allegations several years later made by several former subordinates, who claimed that Sharon tried to provoke the Egyptians and sent out the scouts in bad faith, ensuring that

1275-679: A statement, tied the killing of the Phalangist leader Bachir Gemayel to the PLO, saying 'it symbolises the terrorist murderousness of the PLO terrorist organisations and their supporters'." Habib Chartouni , a Lebanese Christian from the Syrian Socialist National Party confessed to the murder of Gemayel, and no Palestinians were involved. Robert Maroun Hatem, Hobeika's bodyguard, stated in his book From Israel to Damascus that Phalangist commander Elie Hobeika ordered

1360-537: A strong emphasis on community, learning, and exploration, Masa aims to create lasting connections between participants and Israeli society. The Masa experience is curated by the Masa Leadership and Impact Center. The Masa Leadership and Impact Center (MLIC) encourages Masa Fellows to shape, diversify, and strengthen the Jewish world, Israel and beyond. The MLIC supports program organizers and educators to turn

1445-457: A wide range of immersive  experiences in Israel tailored to young adults aged 16-50. These programs are designed to foster personal and professional growth while deepening participants' connection to Israeli society and their Jewish identity. Masa's programs include: Masa Israel Journey’s programs are structured to provide participants with the opportunity to experience Israel in a way that aligns with their personal and professional goals. With

1530-778: Is a list of some of our partners (in alphabetical order): Half of Masa Israel's funding comes from the Government of Israel and the other half comes from the Jewish Agency for Israel, which is supported by the Jewish Federations of North America and Keren Hayesod-UIA . Also, each donation made to Masa is matched dollar to dollar by the Government of Israel and the other half comes from the Jewish Agency Participants on Masa programs who identify as Jewish can receive grants and scholarships toward

1615-554: Is co-chaired by the Government of Israel Cabinet Secretary and the Director General of the Jewish Agency for Israel. During the COVID-19 pandemic, when global travel came to a standstill and borders were largely closed, Masa was uniquely positioned as the only organization capable of issuing entry permits for new participants, allowing them to enter Israel despite international restrictions. The organization also facilitated

1700-543: Is the Jewish Federation of Greater Washington. After a couple of years of lower staff layoffs in February 2010, new CEO Jerry Silverman laid off three senior vice presidents that made an estimated $ 750,000 to $ 1 million combined. JFNA declined to run the decennial National Jewish Population Survey in 2010 due to re-prioritizing. In 2021, it announced the $ 54 million LiveSecure campaign, which it described as

1785-624: The 1982 Lebanon War , following the shooting of Israel's ambassador in London, Shlomo Argov . Although this attempted assassination was in fact perpetrated by the Abu Nidal Organization , possibly with Syrian or Iraqi involvement, the Israeli government justified the invasion by citing 270 terrorist attacks by the Palestinian Liberation Organization (PLO) in Israel, the occupied territories, and

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1870-560: The 1982 Lebanon War . An official enquiry found that he bore "personal responsibility" for the Sabra and Shatila massacre of Palestinian refugees, for which he became known as the "Butcher of Beirut" among Arabs. He was subsequently removed as defense minister. From the 1970s through to the 1990s, Sharon championed construction of Israeli settlements in the Israeli-occupied West Bank and Gaza Strip . He became

1955-475: The Bar Lev Line . It included at least thirty strong points stretching over almost 200 kilometers. Bar Lev suggested that such a line would defend against any major Egyptian assault across the canal, and was expected to function as a "graveyard for Egyptian troops". Moshe Dayan described it as "one of the best anti-tank ditches in the world." Sharon, and Israel Tal on the other hand, vigorously opposed

2040-543: The Golani Brigade 's reconnaissance unit) and in 1950 to intelligence officer for Central Command. He then took leave to begin studies in history and Middle Eastern culture at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem . Sharon's subsequent military career would be characterized by insubordination, aggression and disobedience, but also brilliance as a commander. A year and a half later, on the direct orders of

2125-516: The Gush Emunim settlements movement and was viewed as the patron of the settlers' movement. He used his position to encourage the establishment of a network of Israeli settlements in the occupied territories to prevent the possibility of Palestinian Arabs ' return to these territories. Sharon doubled the number of Jewish settlements on the West Bank and Gaza Strip during his tenure. After

2210-608: The Israel Defense Forces (IDF). Sharon's unit of the Haganah became engaged in serious and continuous combat from the autumn of 1947, with the onset of the Battle for Jerusalem . Without the manpower to hold the roads, his unit took to making offensive hit-and-run raids on Arab forces in the vicinity of Kfar Malal. In units of thirty men, they would hit constantly at Arab villages, bridges and bases, as well as ambush

2295-579: The Kahan Commission (1982), was conducted. The inquiry found that the Israeli Defense Forces were indirectly responsible for the massacre since IDF troops held the area. The commission determined that the killings were carried out by a Phalangist unit acting on its own, but its entry was known to Israel and approved by Sharon. Prime Minister Begin was also found responsible for not exercising greater involvement and awareness in

2380-595: The 1933 Arlozorov murder when Dvora and Shmuel refused to endorse the Labor movement's anti-Revisionist calumny and participate in Bolshevik -style public revilement rallies, then the order of the day. Retribution was quick to come. They were expelled from the local health-fund clinic and village synagogue. The cooperative's truck wouldn't make deliveries to their farm nor collect produce." Sharon spoke both Hebrew and Russian. Four years after their arrival at Kfar Malal,

2465-654: The 1981 elections, Begin rewarded Sharon for his important contribution to Likud's narrow win, by appointing him Minister of Defense . Under Sharon, Israel continued to build upon the unprecedented coordination between the Israel Defense Forces and the South African Defence Force , with Israeli and South African generals giving each other unfettered access to each other's battlefields and military tactics, and Israel sharing with South Africa highly classified information about its missions, such as Operation Opera , which had previously only been reserved for

2550-884: The Berman Jewish DataBank, the purpose of the organization was to conduct sociological studies of North American Jewish communities. In 1999, the CJF merged with the United Jewish Appeal to become the United Jewish Communities. In October 2009, the UJC was renamed the Jewish Federations of North America. After the 2009 launch of the new logo for The Jewish Federations of North America, increasing numbers of local Federations are switching to some variant of that logo. An example

2635-698: The Egyptian Third Army in the Yom Kippur War , the Israeli public nicknamed him "The King of Israel". Sharon played a key role in the War of Attrition . In 1969, he was appointed the Head of IDF's Southern Command . As leader of the southern command, on 29 July Israeli frogmen stormed and destroyed Green Island , a fortress at the northern end of the Gulf of Suez whose radar and antiaircraft installations controlled that sector's airspace. On 9 September Sharon's forces carried out Operation Raviv ,

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2720-475: The Egyptian positions at Jebel Heitan. Sharon sent his lightly armed paratroopers against dug-in Egyptians supported by aircraft, tanks and heavy artillery. Sharon's actions were in response to reports of the arrival of the 1st and 2nd Brigades of the 4th Egyptian Armored Division in the area, which Sharon believed would annihilate his forces if he did not seize the high ground. Sharon sent two infantry companies,

2805-631: The Gaza Strip in 2005. Facing stiff opposition to the latter policy within the Likud, in November 2005 he left Likud to form a new party, Kadima . He had been expected to win the next election and was widely interpreted as planning on "clearing Israel out of most of the West Bank", in a series of unilateral withdrawals. Following a stroke on 4 January 2006, Sharon remained in a permanent vegetative state until his death in 2014. Sharon remains

2890-503: The Israeli forces posted on the eastern part of the canal. Haim Bar Lev , Israel's chief of staff, suggested that Israel construct a border line to protect its southern border. A wall of sand and earth raised along almost the entire length of the Suez Canal would both allow observation of Egyptian forces and conceal the movements of Israeli troops on the eastern side. This line, named after the chief of staff Haim Bar Lev, became known as

2975-655: The JFNA concerned many and may "indicate that JFNA may not be a partner in fighting for the liberal values most American Jews still prize." JFNA administered the National Jewish Population Survey (NJPS), a decennial census of the Jewish community in the United States. The NJPS has elicited controversy. The 1990 survey indicated that the intermarriage rate was 52 percent, but this claim was questioned by demographers. The 2000-2001 edition of

3060-480: The JFNA's Secure Community Network . By 2023, 93 Jewish federations had full-time security directors, a more than four-fold increase over the previous 5 years. Near the end of JFNA General Assembly in November 2024, the federation's VP for government relations Karen Paikin Barall expressed that “We should all look forward to the day we can hope to buy townhouses in the West Bank and Gaza ." . This new position of

3145-552: The Jewish Federations and communities throughout the United States and Canada . The Federation movement protects and enhances the well-being of Jews worldwide through the values of tikkun olam , tzedakah and Torah . JFNA was formed from the merger of the United Jewish Appeal (UJA), Council of Jewish Federations, and the United Israel Appeal . The organization hosts an annual General Assembly event for

3230-601: The Jordanian Arab Legion in the First Battle of Latrun , an unsuccessful attempt to relieve the besieged Jewish community of Jerusalem . Sharon wrote of the casualties in the "horrible battle," and his brigade suffered 139 deaths. Jordanian field marshal Habis Majali said that Sharon was among 6 Israeli soldiers captured by the Jordanian 4th battalion during the battle, and that Majali took them to

3315-559: The Jordanian and Egyptian governments on notice that if Israel was vulnerable, so were they." A few months after its founding, Unit 101 was merged with the 890 Paratroopers Battalion to create the Paratroopers Brigade , of which Sharon would also later become commander. Like Unit 101, it continued raids into Arab territory, culminating with the attack on the Qalqilyah police station in the autumn of 1956. Leading up to

3400-454: The Jordanian and Lebanese border (in addition to 20 attacks on Israeli interests abroad). Sharon intended the operation to eradicate the PLO from its state within a state inside Lebanon, but the war is primarily remembered for the Sabra and Shatila massacre . In a three-day massacre between 16 and 18 September, between 460 and 3,500 civilians, mostly Palestinians and Lebanese Shiites , in

3485-567: The Kusseima-Abu-Ageila fortified area. Sharon's victories and offensive strategy in the Battle of Abu-Ageila led to international commendation by military strategists; he was judged to have inaugurated a new paradigm in operational command. Researchers at the United States Army Training and Doctrine Command studied Sharon's operational planning, concluding that it involved a number of unique innovations. It

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3570-600: The Lebanese army repeatedly refused to "clear them out." The killings followed years of sectarian civil war in Lebanon that left 95,000 dead. The Lebanese army's chief prosecutor investigated the killings and counted 460 dead, Israeli intelligence estimated 700–800 dead, and the Palestinian Red Crescent claimed 2,000 dead. 1,200 death certificates were issued to anyone who produced three witnesses claiming

3655-550: The Masa Leadership and Impact Center (MLIC). Brought to fruition by former Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon , Masa was officially established in 2004 as a joint project of the Government of Israel and the Jewish Agency for Israel . Masa is governed by a 16-member steering committee, with eight representatives of the Government of Israel and eight representatives of the Jewish Agency for Israel. The steering committee

3740-614: The NJPS 2000-01 used a different survey method, cost $ 6 million, and the data was lost. JFNA would not fund the 2010 survey due to re-prioritizing given decreased revenue given its limited direct benefits with some Jewish federations like the New York federation. JFNA was then open to partnering with other agencies on the national survey. In 2022, the JFNA pressured the Jewish Council for Public Affairs to fold their organization into

3825-576: The Prime Minister, Sharon returned to active service in the rank of major, as the founder and commander of the new Unit 101 , a special forces unit tasked with reprisal operations in response to Palestinian fedayeen attacks. The first Israeli commando unit, Unit 101 specialized in offensive guerrilla warfare in enemy countries. The unit consisted of 50 men, mostly former paratroopers and Unit 30 personnel. They were armed with non-standard weapons and tasked with carrying out special reprisals across

3910-591: The Sabra neighborhood and the adjacent Shatila refugee camp were killed by the Phalanges — Lebanese Maronite Christian militias. Shatila had previously been one of the PLO's three main training camps for foreign terrorists and the main training camp for European terrorists; the Israelis maintained that 2,000 to 3,000 terrorists remained in the camps, but were unwilling to risk the lives of more of their soldiers after

3995-411: The Sheinermans had a daughter, Yehudit (Dita). Ariel was born two years later. At age 10, he joined the youth movement HaNoar HaOved VeHaLomed . As a teenager, he began to take part in the armed night-patrols of his moshav . In 1942 at the age of 14, Sharon joined the Gadna , a paramilitary youth battalion , and later the Haganah , the underground paramilitary force and the Jewish military precursor to

4080-416: The Suez Canal and the war will end over there." Sharon arrived at the front, to participate in his fourth war, in a civilian car. His forces did not engage the Egyptian Army immediately, despite his requests. Under cover of darkness, Sharon's forces moved to a point on the Suez Canal that had been prepared before the war. In a move that again thwarted the commands of his superiors, Sharon's division crossed

4165-474: The Suez War, the missions Sharon took part in included: During a payback operation in the Deir al-Balah refugee camp in the Gaza Strip, Sharon was again wounded by gunfire, this time in the leg. Incidents such as those involving Meir Har-Zion , along with many others, contributed to the tension between Prime Minister Moshe Sharett , who often opposed Sharon's raids, and Moshe Dayan , who had become increasingly ambivalent in his feelings towards Sharon. Later in

4250-431: The Suez, effectively winning the war for Israel. He then headed north towards Ismailia , intent on cutting the Egyptian second army's supply lines, but his division was halted south of the Fresh Water Canal . Abraham Adan 's division passed over the bridgehead into Africa, advancing to within 101 kilometers of Cairo . His division managed to encircle Suez , cutting off and encircling the Third Army. Tensions between

4335-406: The United States in the process. America sent troops to help negotiate the PLO's exit from Lebanon, withdrawing them after negotiating a ceasefire that ostensibly protected Palestinian civilians. After 400,000 Peace Now protesters rallied in Tel Aviv to demand an official government inquiry into the massacres, the official Israeli government investigation into the massacre at Sabra and Shatila,

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4420-681: The United States. In 1981, after visiting South African forces fighting in Namibia for 10 days, Sharon argued that South Africa needed more weapons to fight Soviet infiltration in the region. Sharon promised that the relationship between Israel and South Africa would continue to deepen as they work to "ensure the National Defense of both our countries". The collaboration in carrying out joint-nuclear tests, in planning counter-insurgency strategies in Namibia and in designing security fences helped to make Israel, South Africa's closest ally in this period. As Defense Minister, Sharon launched an invasion of Lebanon called Operation Peace for Galilee, later known as

4505-423: The advice of superiors, suffering heavy Israeli casualties in the process. Having successfully carried out the first part of his mission (joining a battalion parachuted near Mitla with the rest of the brigade moving on ground), Sharon's unit was deployed near the pass. Neither reconnaissance aircraft nor scouts reported enemy forces inside the Mitla Pass. Sharon, whose forces were initially heading east, away from

4590-416: The best preparation for the missions that lay ahead. Some commanders, such as Baum and Sharon, deliberately sought firefights. Unit 101 undertook a series of raids against Jordan , which then held the West Bank . The raids also helped bolster Israeli morale and convince Arab states that the fledgling nation was capable of long-range military action. Known for raids against Arab civilians and military targets,

4675-423: The broad North American Jewish community. The original umbrella organization for the federations was the National Council of Jewish Federations and Welfare Funds formed in 1932. "National" was dropped from the name in 1935 and "Welfare Funds" was removed in 1979. In 1986, CJF established the North American Jewish Data Bank in conjunction with City University of New York 's Center for Jewish Studies. Renamed

4760-441: The commencement of each Masa year. Masa Leadership Center holds a central role in developing and training young Jewish adults to lead systematic changes and answer the main challenges that are facing world Jewry. Masa is always looking to partner with more organizations and initiatives to continue creating leadership programs in Israel. Organizations interested in partnering with Masa must obtain recognition for their programs from

4845-646: The cost of their program, with the amount depending on their age, the length of their program and their country of origin. Masa is a charitable organization in cooperation with JAFINA. Jewish Agency for Israel – North American Council (EIN# 23-0053483) is a tax-exempt public charity in the United States under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code, and donations are tax deductible to the extent permitted by U.S. law. Ariel Sharon Ariel Sharon ( Hebrew : אֲרִיאֵל שָׁרוֹן [aʁiˈ(ʔ)el ʃaˈʁon] ; also known by his diminutive Arik , אָרִיק ; 26 February 1928 – 11 January 2014)

4930-413: The cover of night to scale the walls of the Heitan Defile. During the ensuing action, the Egyptians were defeated and forced to retreat. A total of 260 Egyptian and 38 Israeli soldiers were killed during the battle at Mitla. Due to these deaths, Sharon's actions at Mitla were surrounded in controversy, with many within the IDF viewing the deaths as the result of unnecessary and unauthorized aggression. "It

5015-503: The creation of Unit 101 and the reprisal operations , including the 1953 Qibya massacre , as well as in the 1956 Suez Crisis , the Six-Day War of 1967, the War of Attrition , and the Yom-Kippur War of 1973. Yitzhak Rabin called Sharon "the greatest field commander in our history". Upon leaving the military, Sharon entered politics, joining the Likud party, and served in a number of ministerial posts in Likud-led governments in 1977–92 and 1996–99. As Minister of Defense, he directed

5100-477: The engagement and safety of its participants. Thousands of participants were actively involved in programs within Israel, and many were mobilized to volunteer and support the community during this period of unrest. The introduction of the new Masa Volunteers program further enhanced these efforts by bringing hundreds of additional volunteers to Israel, contributing significantly to local resilience and support efforts during challenging times. Masa Israel Journey offers

5185-449: The hero of the Yom Kippur War, responsible for Israel's ground victory in the Sinai in 1973. A photo of Sharon wearing a head bandage on the Suez Canal became a famous symbol of Israeli military prowess. Sharon's political positions were controversial, and he was relieved of duty in February 1974. Following Israel's victory in the six-day war, the war of attrition at the Suez Canal began. The Egyptians began firing in provocation against

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5270-440: The integration of participants into Israeli society by ensuring their access to vaccinations alongside local Israelis. Remarkably, over 20,000 participants participated in Masa programs in Israel during the pandemic, reflecting Masa's commitment to maintaining continuity in educational and volunteer opportunities despite global challenges. In addition, after October 7th, 2023 and the war that then ensued, Masa continued to prioritize

5355-511: The largest campaign to secure North America's Jewish communities in history. The aftermath of the Pittsburgh synagogue shooting in 2018 included arguably the most ambitious and comprehensive effort, led by JFNA, ever taken to protect Jewish life in the United States, according to the New York Times . In addition to bringing in $ 100 million in federal grants through the Nonprofit Security Grant Program (NGSP), JFNA raised $ 62 million to secure every Jewish community in North America, overseen by

5440-434: The latter determinedly refused to discuss the incident publicly. After recovering from the wounds received at Latrun, he resumed command of his patrol unit. On 28 December 1948, his platoon attempted to break through an Egyptian stronghold in Iraq-El-Manshia. At about this time, Israeli founding father David Ben-Gurion gave him the Hebraized name "Sharon". In September 1949, Sharon was promoted to company commander (of

5525-472: The leader of the Likud in 1999, and in 2000, amid campaigning for the 2001 prime ministerial election , made a controversial visit to the Al-Aqsa complex on the Temple Mount , triggering the Second Intifada . He subsequently defeated Ehud Barak in the election and served as Israel's prime minister from 2001 to 2006. As Prime Minister, Sharon orchestrated the construction of the Israeli West Bank barrier in 2002–03 and Israel's unilateral disengagement from

5610-422: The line. Sharon said that it would pin down large military formations that would be sitting ducks for deadly artillery attacks, and cited the opinion of Rabbi Menachem M. Schneerson , who explained him "the great military disaster such a line could bring." Notwithstanding, it was completed in spring 1970. During the Yom Kippur War , Egyptian forces successfully breached the Bar Lev Line in less than two hours at

5695-645: The massacre of civilians in defiance of Israeli instructions to behave like a "dignified" army. Hatem claimed "Sharon had given strict orders to Hobeika....to guard against any desperate move" and that Hobeika perpetrated the massacre "to tarnish Israel's reputation worldwide" for the benefit of Syria. Hobeika subsequently joined the Syrian occupation government and lived as a prosperous businessman under Syrian protection; further massacres in Sabra and Shatilla occurred with Syrian support in 1985. The massacre followed intense Israeli bombings of Beirut that had seen heavy civilian casualties, testing Israel's relationship with

5780-645: The matter of introducing the Phalangists into the camps. Jewish Federations of North America The Jewish Federations of North America (JFNA) , formerly the United Jewish Communities ( UJC ), is an American Jewish umbrella organization for the Jewish Federations system, representing over 350 independent Jewish communities across North America that raise and distribute over $ 2 billion annually, including through planned giving and endowment programs, to support social welfare, social services and educational needs. Jewish Federations also provides fundraising, organization assistance, training, and overall leadership to

5865-464: The military for another three years, before retiring in August 1973. Soon after, he helped found the Likud ("Unity") political party. At the start of the Yom Kippur War on 6 October 1973, Sharon was called back to active duty along with his assigned reserve armored division. On his farm, before he left for the front line, the Reserve Commander, Zeev Amit, said to him, "How are we going to get out of this?" Sharon replied, "You don't know? We will cross

5950-417: The number of young people choosing the Masa experience in Israel. In evaluating applications, Masa considers the identity of the requesting organization, its vision, capabilities, program quality, added value to the market, recruitment feasibility, the educational content, and other relevant factors. Here is a list of some of the organizers and institutions Masa works with (in alphabetical order): Masa Israel

6035-504: The organization, in accordance with the relevant regulations. Program organizers within the Masa framework have the independence to design their educational and professional content and build their programs in line with their vision, philosophy, and target audience. This flexibility is granted as long as they adhere to Masa's educational vision and administrative guidelines outlined in these regulations. Masa's recognition policy aims to support high-quality programs that significantly increase

6120-412: The pass, reported to his superiors that he was increasingly concerned with the possibility of an enemy thrust through the pass, which could attack his brigade from the flank or the rear. Sharon asked for permission to attack the pass several times, but his requests were denied, though he was allowed to check its status so that if the pass was empty, he could receive permission to take it later. Sharon sent

6205-570: The ranks, occupying the positions of Infantry School Commander and Head of Army Training Branch, eventually achieving the rank of Aluf ( Major General ). In the Six-Day War , Sharon, in command of an armored division on the Sinai front , drew up his own complex offensive strategy that combined infantry troops, tanks and paratroopers from planes and helicopters to destroy the Egyptian forces Sharon's 38th Division faced when it broke through to

6290-429: The state's borders—mainly establishing small unit maneuvers, activation and insertion tactics. Training included engaging enemy forces across Israel's borders. Israeli historian Benny Morris describes Unit 101: The new recruits began a harsh regimen of day and night training, their orientation and navigation exercises often taking them across the border; encounters with enemy patrols or village watchmen were regarded as

6375-515: The traffic between Arab villages and bases. Sharon wrote in his autobiography: "We had become skilled at finding our way in the darkest nights and gradually we built up the strength and endurance these kind of operations required. Under the stress of constant combat we drew closer to one another and began to operate not just as a military unit but almost as a family. ... [W]e were in combat almost every day. Ambushes and battles followed each other until they all seemed to run together." For his role in

6460-536: The two generals followed Sharon's decision, but a military tribunal later found his action was militarily effective. Sharon's complex ground maneuver is regarded as a decisive move in the Yom Kippur War, undermining the Egyptian Second Army and encircling the Egyptian Third Army. This move was regarded by many Israelis as the turning point of the war in the Sinai front. Thus, Sharon is widely viewed as

6545-496: The unit is held responsible for the widely condemned Qibya massacre in the fall of 1953. After a group of Palestinians used Qibya as a staging point for a fedayeen attack in Yehud that killed a Jewish woman and her two children in Israel, Unit 101 retaliated on the village. By various accounts of the ensuing attack, 65 to 70 Palestinian civilians, half of them women and children, were killed when Sharon's troops dynamited 45 houses and

6630-659: The year, Sharon was investigated and tried by the Military Police for disciplining one of his subordinates. However, the charges were dismissed before the onset of the Suez War. Sharon commanded Unit 202 (the Paratroopers Brigade) during the 1956 Suez War (the British " Operation Musketeer "), leading the troop to take the ground east of the Sinai 's Mitla Pass and eventually the pass itself against

6715-419: Was a complex plan. But the elements that went into it were ones I had been developing and teaching for many years... the idea of close combat, nightfighting, surprise paratroop assault, attack from the rear, attack on a narrow front, meticulous planning, the concept of the 'tahbouleh', the relationship between headquarters and field command... But all the ideas had matured already; there was nothing new in them. It

6800-475: Was a simultaneous attack by a multiplicity of small forces, each with a specific aim, attacking a particular unit in a synergistic Egyptian defense network. As a result, instead of supporting and covering each other as they were designed to do, each Egyptian unit was left fighting for its own life. According to Sapir Handelman, after Sharon's assault of the Sinai in the Six-Day War and his encirclement of

6885-498: Was an Israeli general and politician who served as the 11th prime minister of Israel from March 2001 until April 2006. Born in Kfar Malal in Mandatory Palestine to Russian Jewish immigrants, he rose in the ranks of the Israeli Army from its creation in 1948, participating in the 1948 Palestine war as platoon commander of the Alexandroni Brigade and taking part in several battles. Sharon became an instrumental figure in

6970-424: Was established as a joint venture of the Government of Israel and The Jewish Agency for Israel and its partners, the Jewish Federations of North America and Keren Hayesod – UIA. Over the years we have perfected the design of an authentic Israeli experience that provides both personal and professional development for thousands of Masa Fellows & alumni, thanks to a rich network of partners in Israel and abroad. Here

7055-607: Was more able than Begin to win an election victory; he was rejected, however. He then tried to join the Labor Party and the centrist Democratic Movement for Change , but was rejected by those parties too. Only then did he form his own list, Shlomtzion , which won two Knesset seats in the subsequent elections. Immediately after the elections, he merged Shlomtzion with the Likud and became Minister of Agriculture . When Sharon joined Begin's government, he had relatively little political experience. During this period, Sharon supported

7140-461: Was simply a matter of putting all the elements together and making them work." Ariel Sharon, 1989, on his command at the Battle of Abu-Ageila The Mitla incident hindered Sharon's military career for several years. In the meantime, he occupied the position of an infantry brigade commander and received a law degree from Tel Aviv University . However, when Yitzhak Rabin became Chief of Staff in 1964, Sharon again began to rise rapidly in

7225-771: Was studying agronomy and his mother was studying medicine. They immigrated to Mandatory Palestine in 1922 in the wake of the Russian Communist government's growing persecution of Jews in the region. In Palestine, Vera Scheinerman went by the name Dvora. The family arrived with the Third Aliyah and settled in Kfar Malal, a socialist, secular community. (Ariel Sharon himself would remain proudly secular throughout his life. ) Although his parents were Mapai supporters, they did not always accept communal consensus: "The Scheinermans' eventual ostracism ... followed

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