A Fighter for Israel’s Soldiers

Since the October 7 attack and the ongoing war in Gaza and Lebanon, a quiet but profound crisis has been unfolding in Israel: a sharp rise in the number of soldiers and combatants coping with psychological injuries, post-traumatic stress, and severe mental distress. While physically wounded soldiers receive immediate recognition, rehabilitation, and resources, psychological injuries are still fighting for basic acknowledgment.

One of the figures persistently placing this issue at the center of public discourse is Shifra Shahar, CEO of the nonprofit “A Warm Home for Every Soldier,” which has been operating for 16 years on behalf of IDF soldiers, lone soldiers, and combat fighters in distress. Among soldiers and their families, Shahar is widely known as a tireless fighter for soldiers’ rights and wellbeing.

“We meet combatants who return from battle with their bodies intact,” says Shahar, “but with their souls shattered. A psychological injury is an injury like any other, and ignoring it costs lives.”

Since the fighting began, welfare and mental-health professionals have reported a significant increase in the number of soldiers and veterans seeking psychological support. Many of them are reservists who returned from the battlefield and struggle to disconnect from the sights, smells, and experiences of combat — even months after coming home.

According to a senior military source familiar with the challenges faced by returning fighters, “We’re seeing more and more combatants who continue to live the battlefield even after they’re back home. This isn’t weakness — it’s a psychological response to extreme events. The problem is that the system still struggles to provide a fast and deep response.”

Shahar describes a reality in which many of those who turn to the organization do so only after a prolonged period of deterioration.

“There are soldiers who feel that if they don’t have a visible wound, they have no right to ask for help. They hold on, until they collapse.”

Shahar does not shy away from the consequences of delay. “Many soldiers could have been saved if the state treated psychological injuries the same way it treats physical ones — without endurance tests, without exhausting bureaucracy, and without forcing people to prove their suffering.”

She stresses that the rise in suicides among soldiers and combat veterans is not inevitable.

“When problems aren’t identified in time, when treatment doesn’t come in time — the price is paid in lives. Ignoring the problem will not make it disappear.”

Against this backdrop, Shahar and the organization she leads have recently escalated the struggle on the legal front as well. Together with the nonprofit’s legal team, a petition was filed with Israel’s High Court of Justice, demanding that the rights of combat-related PTSD victims be equalized with those of physically wounded war veterans.

“The loss of a limb causes disability — and so does combat trauma,” says Shahar.
“The Ministry of Defense must wake up and understand that in 2025, there are tools to treat psychological injuries and save the lives of many soldiers who returned from battle with mental wounds.”

According to her, the distinction between physical and psychological injury is not merely medical — it is moral.

“Israeli society knows how to embrace physically wounded soldiers. It’s time we learn to embrace those wounded in spirit as well.”

In the weeks following October 7, Shahar led an emergency mobilization effort that raised many millions for soldiers on the front lines. The funds were used, among other things, to supply combat units with critical equipment that was missing in the early stages of the war, as well as protective gear, logistical support, and immediate assistance for soldiers and their families.

Military and civilian sources involved in the effort describe a rapid, no-nonsense operation that bypassed delays and delivered equipment directly to units in need — at a time when gaps on the ground were acute.

Alongside fieldwork and emergency fundraising, Shahar has intensified her public and parliamentary activity. She is considered one of the most prominent voices in Knesset committees dealing with IDF soldiers, appearing regularly before committees related to defense, welfare, rehabilitation, and soldiers’ rights.

Working together with the organization’s legal team and members of Knesset from across the political spectrum, Shahar has led ongoing battles against government ministries and decision-makers — pressing for policy changes, budget allocations, and systemic reforms affecting active-duty soldiers, reservists, and veterans.

“This isn’t about politics,” she says.
“It’s about responsibility. If the state demands everything from its soldiers, it must give everything back when they’re in need.”

Shahar has led A Warm Home for Every Soldier for more than 16 years. The organization provides ongoing assistance to IDF soldiers and lone soldiers, including financial aid, housing support, personal and psychological guidance, emergency assistance, and referrals to treatment and rehabilitation frameworks.

Over the years, Shahar has become a well-known figure in Israel and within Jewish communities worldwide, where she raises funds for the organization’s activities and maintains close relationships with donors in North America, Europe, South America, and Australia. She is widely regarded as a determined advocate and fighter for soldiers, both on the ground and in public policy arenas.

Alongside hands-on assistance, she has led significant public campaigns, including the struggle to improve soldiers’ pay and service conditions — efforts that involved sustained engagement with policymakers and resulted in gradual but tangible policy changes.

Shahar emphasizes that nonprofits cannot — and should not — replace the state.

“We’re there to bridge gaps, to save people right now. But the real responsibility lies with the state.”

A military source concludes, “The war may end someday, but for those suffering from combat trauma, it can last for years. If we don’t deal with this today — we’ll be paying the price for a long time.”

The struggle led by Shifra Shahar is far from over. But for her, the question is clear, “This isn’t a fight over budgets. It’s a fight over the lives of the people who protected all of us.”