Nefesh B’Nefesh Ramps Up Support for Lone Soldiers Amid War

As part of its routine activities, Nefesh B’Nefesh continually adds to the fortitude of Israel via encouraging and streamlining Aliyah. However, with the advent of war, the organization promptly shifted its focus, augmenting its array of services to cater to the immediate necessities of its Lone Soldier Olim. The Iron Swords War nudged organizational structures to reconsider and reconfigure how they provide services. Consequently, the Lone Soldiers Program of Nefesh B’Nefesh, jointly run with FIDF and IDF, made swift arrangements to cater to both the immediate and critical requirements of the Lone Soldiers fighting on the front lines.

These Lone Soldiers are youthful individuals who make the decision to migrate to Israel and are legally required to join the IDF upon obtaining their citizenship. In response to this, Nefesh B’Nefesh has also broadened its current support measures for these soldiers, who are battling on both the active warfront and the domestic front, further inaugurating new methods to provide support to these soldiers and their families.

Ever since the commencement of the war, Nefesh B’Nefesh has rolled out a number of measures intended to give both practical and emotional support to these Lone Soldiers. The support provision also includes the parents of these soldiers, most of whom are situated overseas and are witnessing the scenario in Israel from a distance. The intention is to mitigate the anxiety they may be feeling as their children serve in the war zone.

In an effort to achieve this, Nefesh B’Nefesh, in partnership with FIDF and JNF-USA, has launched Operation Hug, which aims to fly parents of the Lone Soldiers to Israel to see their deployed children. As of now, this initiative has brought together over 1,000 parents from all over the globe with their children in Israel.

Though Nefesh B’Nefesh was initially designed to focus only on Aliyah from North America, the organization extended its scope in 2012 by introducing a comprehensive Lone Soldiers Program. This expansion was born out of a conversation with the then-IDF Personnel Director Maj. Gen. Orna Barbivai and begun to cater to immigrants from all corners of the world.

The organization closely collaborates with the IDF’s Lone Soldier Department to arrange a Yom Sidurim event (Bureaucracy Day). This day provides Lone Soldiers with a plethora of services and responses to their governmental queries, all under one roof. Be it procuring driving licenses, applying for passports, receiving municipal discounts, or pursuing scholarships, all these facilities can be accessed in a single place.

The organization’s responsibility and care for the Lone Soldiers does not end with the culmination of their military service. It also aids them in seamlessly transitioning into civilian life, whether via job placements, vocational training, or academic advice.

In the process of regularly communicating with these Lone Soldiers, who hail from various cultural backgrounds, Nefesh B’Nefesh has gleaned significant knowledge about cultural nuances and diversity. Regardless of the adversities brought on by wartime, the organization emphasizes that remorse is not a sentiment commonly associated with their experiences.

Irrespective of their challenging circumstances, neither the Olim nor their international families feel any remorse concerning their decision to undertake Aliyah. Even those soldiers who had to incur battle wounds regard their decision with a sense of pride. To them, their participation in the military service is viewed as an invaluable contribution to the future of Israel.

Nefesh B’Nefesh is consistently expanding the scope of its mission, branching out from facilitating Aliyah to other key areas such as security, healthcare, and education. There has been a notable shift in the organization’s objectives. Initially, Aliyah was considered as the sole aim, but now it is regarded as a means towards securing and propelling the future of Israel.