The Friends of the Israel Defense Forces (FIDF), was established in 1981 by a group of Holocaust survivors. Their mission was to create an organization that would support the men and women who serve in the IDF. The headquarters for the organization is located in New York City and they 14 regional offices scattered across the United States and Latin America.
Helping tourists tour an IDF base is just one of the things the FIDF does. Other projects range from helping children and widows of fallen IDF soliders, helping soldiers in financial need, and providing scholarships to IDF veterans.
For any tourists that are bound for Israel, the FIDF is available to help you include a visit to an IDF base in your travel plans. Tours usually include a presentation on how the IDF trains it's soldiers, as well as an opportunity to meet and speak with soldiers. They believe the best way to understand what it means to be a soldier in Israel is to meet the brave young men and women. While visiting the base, most tours end with the obligatory photo op for a picture with a tank.
