NBN teams up with EL AL to help lone soldiers’ parents visit Israel

Subsidized tickets to be allocated to families with financial limitations

By TAMARA ZIEVE
Updated: MARCH 12, 2017 23:47
HAPPY LONE SOLDIERS at Thursday’s ‘Yom Siddurim’ event sponsored by Nefesh B’Nefesh and Friends of the IDF. (photo credit: SHAHAR AZRAN)
HAPPY LONE SOLDIERS at Thursday’s ‘Yom Siddurim’ event sponsored by Nefesh B’Nefesh and Friends of the IDF.
(photo credit: SHAHAR AZRAN)
Nefesh B’Nefesh announced a partnership with EL AL Israel Airlines on Sunday, in order to offer partially subsidized plane tickets between North America and Israel to parents of lone soldiers serving in the IDF.
The tickets will be allocated to families whose financial limitations would otherwise prevent them from reuniting in Israel; they will pay a total fee of $250, with all other flight costs subsidized.
“It is a tremendous privilege for us to help parents of lone soldiers reunite with their sons and daughters during their army service,” said Nefesh B’Nefesh co-founder and executive director Rabbi Yehoshua Fass. “We want to ensure that families have the ability and opportunity to participate in this special milestone.”
A soldier participates in an average of three ceremonies throughout his or her IDF service: the swearing-in ceremony (Tekes Hashba’ah), the acceptance into his or her unit (Tekes Kumta) and the end of basic training (Tekes Sof Maslul).
Yoram Elgrabli, EL AL Israel Airlines managing director for North and Central America, said, “We are pleased to partner in this important endeavor which will enable parents to proudly witness and support their lone soldier standing in uniform on such a special day or to spend quality time together.”
One subsidized ticket will be allocated per family, and they are restricted to parents of lone soldiers who are serving in their first year of IDF service – to enable them to attend a ceremony taking place during that year – or to parents of lone soldiers serving in elite units who are due to complete training courses during their second year of service.