When soldiers return home after weeks – or even months – of reserve duty, the battle is often far from over. Physically exhausted and emotionally depleted, many find themselves navigating a maze of bureaucratic, professional, and personal challenges with little guidance.
It is in this fragile space between the battlefield and civilian life that the Alon Center for Returning to Life steps in, offering a holistic, individualized model of support for Israel’s reservists.
Founded in memory of Alon Shamriz, a young combat soldier and former hostage who was accidentally killed by IDF fire, the Tel Aviv-based Alon Center supports reservists from across Israel. Its services range from psychological care and employment guidance to hands-on assistance with family and household needs.
Led by co-directors Adi Zarka Schwartz and Doron Shabti, alongside a team of social workers, educators, and volunteers, the center seeks to address both the immediate and long-term realities of returning to civilian life.
From the frontlines to the home front
Schwartz, a 34-year-old reservist from Shilat, serves as a Home Front officer in the Golani Brigade’s support battalion. Over the course of her military service, she has spent more than 220 days on active duty.
With a professional background in hi-tech, she joined the Alon Center several months ago, after meeting Doron Shabti through another project she was involved in. At the time, Shabti encouraged her to join the center’s newly forming initiative, telling her he had enough resources for four months. “Come for four months and see how it goes,” he suggested.
Reservists are away from home for extended periods of time, Schwartz explained, and for them to do their jobs properly, it is critical that they receive meaningful support when they return.
“I felt that something significant was happening here in Israel and in Israeli society, and that there is a deep problem that requires a solution urgently, not soon, not when it works out [but now],” she told the Magazine.
That sense of urgency is shared by Shabti. A 32-year-old father of two from Sderot, he understands the overlapping pressures of being a soldier, a parent, and a civilian. Since Oct. 7, he has spent more than 600 days in reserve service. He spoke candidly about the personal toll that the prolonged absence from home has had on him: missing his children, the difficulties of returning to civilian life, and coping with the mental and emotional strain of combat duty.
These personal experiences form the foundation of the Alon Center’s mission: to provide an “address” for reservists – a single, trusted place where they can receive multifaceted support tailored to their individual needs.
A holistic approach
As reservists return after extended periods of military service, sometimes lasting up to two years, the challenges they face are rarely confined to a single domain. Emotional strain, social disconnection, and practical obstacles often overlap. Many soldiers aren’t even aware of the full scope of their needs, explained Schwartz.
“Some are struggling in multiple areas at once,” she noted. “Our role is to go through each issue step by step and provide solutions, whether it’s getting legal documents sorted, accessing benefits, or arranging psychological support.”
Unlike organizations that focus on a single form of assistance, the Alon Center is unique in that it addresses many spheres of life and challenges, which include those related to family, financial, bureaucratic, and military matters.
“We don’t just refer someone to a therapist and leave it at that. We help with everything,” Schwartz explained. In some cases, supporting a spouse or a family member becomes essential to stabilizing the soldier’s own life.
The Alon Center’s staff includes reservists, social workers, and spouses of soldiers, many of whom have firsthand experience with the pressures of long-term service. This shared background fosters trust and empathy, helping soldiers feel seen and understood. Even incremental progress – such as resolving paperwork or gaining access to services – can significantly restore a soldier’s sense of control and well-being.
In practice, support often unfolds in stages. A soldier may first receive mental health care, then employment guidance, and later assistance in securing formal recognition for rehabilitation or benefits. Each step is addressed deliberately, ensuring that no issue is left unresolved.
How the system works
The Alon Center operates in close coordination with military units, working directly with officers in order to identify the reservists’ needs early and reduce barriers to access. Soldiers fill out a detailed intake form outlining challenges related to family, work, or mental health. They are then paired with a dedicated social worker who acts as their personal case manager.
Each social worker is supported by teams of university students from various institutions, such as the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, and Sapir Academic College, enabling close follow-up and sustained engagement. This structure allows the center to respond quickly while maintaining continuity rather than offering one-time interventions.
Support often begins with seemingly small but emotionally charged crises. A broken washing machine or bureaucratic delay can feel overwhelming for spouses coping with their partners’ prolonged absence. The center intervenes swiftly, providing practical solutions alongside emotional reassurance. Family programs, community activities, and events further help restore routine and connection.
Schwartz recalled one case in which a soldier’s wife faced complex mental health challenges. By supporting her, the center indirectly helped her husband as well, as he was then able to regain balance in his life.
Building a social start-up
Despite its growing reach, the Alon Center still operates much like a start-up. Demand for services remains high, resources are finite, and the team is constantly exploring ways to increase capacity and efficiency. Technological tools, such as project management software and automated response systems, help extend the reach of each social worker without sacrificing personal attention.
The work is intense, but the commitment behind it is unwavering. “I don’t miss hi-tech,” Schwartz told the Magazine. “Every day, I go to sleep thinking about the soldiers, the stories I’ve heard, and those I couldn’t help. It’s challenging but deeply rewarding.”
She also emphasized the immense pressure on officers. “They ask the most of their soldiers: to leave their lives behind and go to battle. But who supports the officers when they go home? Our responsibility is to bring them back to life.”
Lt.-Col. Lotem Perach-Paran wrote on the center’s website: “This initiative fulfills my responsibility as a commander toward my soldiers: I ask them to leave their lives and come to reserve duty, and within the harsh reality of this war I have a responsibility to help them return to their lives.”
A community effort
That responsibility is shared by others on the team, such as Sher Roval, 35, from Kibbutz Ein Gedi, who lost her husband, Yaniv Oren, in combat in August 2024. Following his death, Roval enlisted to serve in his battalion as an educator and Home Front support officer. Her work at the Alon Center draws directly from her experiences.
She explained that when a soldier is called up, this affects his spouse as well, which is why the center provides support that is practical, emotional, and comprehensive. The center’s close collaboration with military units is what sets it apart, she added, describing the initiative as a joint effort between the IDF and civilian society in response to unprecedented challenges.
Mission, legacy, and looking ahead
For the team at the Alon Center, the ultimate goal is systemic change.
“We want the organization not to be needed in the long term – that it becomes institutionalized within the IDF or government,” Schwartz said. “Our mission is to create a new social service, a universal resource that every reservist can access.”
Shabti echoes this vision. The center focuses on building relationships and providing soldiers with the tools to be self-sufficient, he said. Solving problems is important, but this is secondary to the sense of security and capability that the center provides them with.
Over the past two years, the center has assisted thousands of soldiers navigating trauma, bureaucracy, and family strain. Success is measured not only in numbers but also in the changes made and relationships fostered, helping soldiers feel seen, supported, and capable of rebuilding their lives.
The Alon Center continues to operate in memory of Alon Shamriz. Shabti recalls meeting Alon’s brother, Yonatan, shortly after the tragedy. “He asked about my role in the army. I realized that while something had been broken, it was our responsibility to build something new – a public service that could change the way society supports its soldiers,” he said.
Looking ahead, the need is only growing. In 2026, the IDF anticipates up to 10 times the number of reserve call-ups compared to previous years. Schwartz and Shabti know the work is far from finished. They remain committed to expanding the center’s capacity, deepening its partnerships with military units, and refining a model of care that places the soldier, the family, and the community at its center.
Through its innovative approach, the Alon Center demonstrates that support for soldiers does not end when the uniform comes off. By addressing the full spectrum of post-service challenges, it helps reservists return not only from war but back to life.
Find out more about the center: www.aloncenter.org/