Lone soldier

IDF lone soldiers mark bar and bat mitzvah at Western Wall, including some family surprises

The event was organized by Ach Gadol (Big Brother for Lone Soldiers), a nonprofit that provides one-on-one mentorship and community support for soldiers serving in Israel without immediate family.

|ByJERUSALEM POST STAFF
Kidist Mengistu, a lone soldier from Ethiopia, was surprised by her mother at the Western Wall for bat mitzvah ceremony, Februrary 23, 2026.
The Hadassah Ein Karem hospital in Jerusalem. January 15, 2017.

Grapevine: Ancient minority

Movers and shakers in Israeli society.

|ByGREER FAY CASHMAN
Levi Preger (L) and Max Long, the founder of the Growing Wings Foundation.

Levi Preger: From a Dutch town to the IDF

Preger, aged 27 is a lone soldier who made aliyah from the Netherlands. For the past four years, he has been active with the Growing Wings Foundation, a nonprofit that supports lone soldiers.

|ByBATSHEVA SHULMAN
Israeli President Isaac Herzog meets students at Moriah War Memorial College during his state visit following a deadly mass shooting at a Jewish Hanukkah celebration at Bondi Beach on December 14, in Sydney, Australia, February 10, 2026.

Herzog meets lone soldiers and families in closed-door Melbourne gathering

The meeting, held on the sidelines of the last day of Herzog’s visit to Australia, underscored both the pride and the unease felt by Diaspora families whose children chose to join the IDF.

|ByHERB KEINON

Over 600 Lone Soldiers and Bnot Sherut Celebrate Israel’s 75th at Nefesh B’Nefesh Aliyah Campus

Event initiated by FIDF-Nefesh B’Nefesh Lone Soldiers Program and Nefesh B’Nefesh Ori program for Lone Bnot Sherut, together with the Michael Levin base.

APRIL 27, 2023ByJERUSALEM POST STAFF
Lone soldiers at Independence Day celebration at Nefesh B’Nefesh Aliyah Campus in Jerusalem

New home for lone IDF combat soldiers to open in Ra'anana

The house will accommodate 93 lone combat soldiers and is set to open its doors in March 2024.

APRIL 25, 2023ByJERUSALEM POST STAFF
Habayit Shel Benji - a real home for lone soldiers and Guidance Center for all soldiers after their service

Nativ: Helping IDF lone soldiers become halachically Jewish

The "Magazine" sat down with four young IDF soldiers who opened up about their reasons for why they chose to undergo conversion to Judaism.

APRIL 14, 2023ByLIANE GRUNBERG WAKABAYASHI
122 SOLDIERS graduating from the Nativ military conversion program celebrate at the Kotel, May 2022.

Passover: IDF finishes getting ready for the holiday

The Israeli military has finished taking steps to make sure the entire army is ready for the holiday, including supplying food, organizing Seders and helping lone soldiers.

APRIL 5, 2023ByJERUSALEM POST STAFF
IDF soldiers are seen holding matzah ahead of the Passover holiday.

He moved from Russia to Israel for opportunity - and found his new home

Looking to the future, Alexander Pitkin sees himself settling in Israel's North and working his way up in an innovative, exciting hi-tech company.

MARCH 31, 2023ByLISA SAMIN
Alexander Pitkin from Miass, Russia, to Karmiel, 2014

More than half of IDF lone soldiers in financial debt, says army

David Bitan: “We have a very deep appreciation for the contribution of the lone soldiers to our country and we certainly will not leave them to face the debts and the banking system alone.”

MARCH 22, 2023ByZVIKA KLEIN
MKs Oded Forer (L) and David Bitan meet at a special joint session to discuss IDF lone soldier debt, on March 22, 2023.

This week in Jerusalem: Nof Zahav

A weekly round-up of city affairs.

MARCH 10, 2023ByPEGGY CIDOR
LONELY NO more: Working in a downtown cafe.

Grapevine March 3, 2023: Crossing red lines

Movers and shakers in Israeli society

MARCH 3, 2023ByGREER FAY CASHMAN
LONE SOLDIERS Bar mitzvah ceremony at the Western Wall.

Grapevine February 26, 2023: The play’s the thing

Movers and shakers in Israeli society.

FEBRUARY 26, 2023ByGREER FAY CASHMAN
MICHAL HERZOG, flanked by President Isaac Herzog and Jerusalem Mayor Moshe Lion, watches a film about youth at risk.

A small girl with a big heart raises funds for the Michael Levin Base

Michael had always spoken about his dream to provide support for lone soldiers, which he himself lacked while in the army – and The Base does just that.

FEBRUARY 25, 2023ByANDREA SAMUELS
CHAYA RECEIVES a Certificate of Appreciation from The Base.