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Simon Cowell donates £100,000 to Israeli soldiers to please pregnant girlfriend Lauren Silverman
Cowell, 54, is also planning a secret trip to Israel soon as he embraces the Jewish faith of Silverman, 36
Simon Cowell has publicly donated nearly £100,000 in support of the Israeli army.
The X Factor boss pledged the cash to the Friends of the Israel Defense Forces at a US fund-raiser in Beverly Hills.
The lavish gala brought in more than £12million for the organisation, which helps to provide welfare services for IDF soldiers and their bereaved families.
Cowell, 54, is also planning a secret trip to Israel soon as he embraces the Jewish faith of girlfriend Lauren Silverman, 36, who is expecting his baby.
And although he was raised as a Roman Catholic, his father Eric was Jewish – believed to be another factor influencing his decision to visit Israel.
The TV mogul has previously expressed little interest in religion. But his $150,000 gift may cause controversy because of the FIDF’s aid for forces staff embroiled in the long-running conflict with the Palestinian people.
More than 1,000 FIDF supporters from the US and Israel attended the charity’s star-studded annual gala at the Beverly Hilton Hotel in Los Angeles last month.
They were entertained by five-time Grammy winner Lionel Richie and the event was chaired by billionaire TV magnate Haim Saban, who gave £1.4million.
The organisation, founded by Holocaust survivors in 1981, says on its website: “FIDF is committed to providing these soldiers with love, support and care in an effort to ease the burden they carry on behalf of the Jewish community worldwide.”