Marchers raise NIS 250,000 for soldiers' home

By MIRIAM BULWAR DAVID-HAY (TRANSLATED)
Some 1,800 people marched through Ra'anana last week in a drive to raise funds for "Benji's House" - a home for lone soldiers being planned for construction in the city's Rehov Haprahim, reports www.mynet.co.il. The marchers raised NIS 250,000, which will be added to the $2.5 million already collected for the home. According to the report, the home is being planned to cater for about 50 lone soldiers (those whose families are not in Israel) at a time, providing them with accommodation, food and assistance following their release from military service. The home's name commemorates the late Major Benji Hillman, who was killed in action in Lebanon in July 2006, aged 26. After his death, his family set up a foundation to create the home, and the city of Ra'anana agreed to donate the land for it.