Sylvia Robinson and Israeli Veterans
The Jewish Encyclopedia
of Western Pennsylvania
A project of the Rauh Jewish Archives at the Heinz History Center
American Friends of Israeli War Disabled Inc. was a hospitality program pairing wounded Israel veterans with Pittsburgh families for a summer retreat in Pittsburgh.
Sylvia Robinson brought the program to Pittsburgh in 1975, after learning about a similar initiative underway in Europe. In its first year, the program brought 10 veterans to Pittsburgh for two-weeks of parties, day-trips, and community events. Veterans stayed with local families. From the beginning, the project was arranged under the auspices of the United Jewish Federation of Pittsburgh. The project legally incorporated in 1977.
