Never Alone: The Heart and Mission of the Lone Soldier Center

It begins with a choice—made not out of obligation, but out of conviction. A young man from Sweden leaves behind family and friends to serve in the Israel Defense Force. A woman from Maryland becomes the first in her family to make Aliyah, stepping into a future she is shaping on her own. A 23-year-old IDF combat veteran from the Netherlands volunteers to rejoin the reserves during wartime, leaving the Netherlands to return once again to Israel—despite being exempt from reserve duty.

These stories, and hundreds more like them, are the heartbeat of the Lone Soldier Center in Memory of Michael Levin.

Founded in memory of Michael Levin, a Lone Soldier who was killed in action during the Second Lebanon War, the Lone Soldier Center exists to ensure that all soldiers who leave everything behind to serve Israel feel truly supported. Today, in a time of renewed uncertainty and crisis, our work is more vital than ever.

More Than a Roof, More Than a Meal

What does support really look like for a Lone Soldier?

For Michael, who came to Israel from the U.S. after earning a degree in mechanical engineering, the Lone Soldier Center became a lifeline even before he enlisted. From warm meals to lasting friendships and emotional support, the Center has helped him feel grounded during a time of transition. "Even as a Lone Soldier, I'm never truly alone," he says.

For Chaya, originally from Silver Spring, Maryland and now serving in Foreign Relations at the Israel-Jordan liaison office, the Center represents comfort and connection. When she returns to the Lone Soldier Center home in Beit Hakerem, there is food in the fridge, friendly faces to greet her, and a community that makes Israel feel less foreign—and more like home.

For Y, a Dutch-born veteran of an elite IDF unit who returned to Israel to serve in the reserves during the current war, the Lone Soldier Center is about belonging. "This is the place where I can ask the small questions, share the highs and lows of serving, and connect with people who understand this path." From post-army transition to reserve duty, the Lone Soldier Center has provided him with stability and unwavering support.

The Full Picture of Care

The Lone Soldier Center's work spans the personal and the practical. It supports Lone Soldiers from one year before service, during service, and then for five years after. It provides emergency housing, basic supplies like toiletries and winter gear, and holiday meals for those with no family support nearby. Additionally, the Lone Soldier Center offers therapy, career counseling, scholarships, and a strong sense of belonging and community.

Some journeys begin far before enlistment.

A. grew up in an ultra-Orthodox household, but even as a teenager, he felt that path was not his own. After leaving home at 15, he spent years navigating survival on his own. Eventually, he made a bold decision: to enlist in the IDF.

"I saw the army as a way to integrate into secular Israeli society and contribute to the country," he later shared. Assigned to the Golani Brigade, A. found the Lone Soldier Center just when he needed it most. The Lone Soldier Center helped him prepare for service, navigate military bureaucracy, and connected him with a pre-army academy (mechina), where he built the structure and support he had long lacked.

Through the Lone Soldier Center, A. also found housing in Jerusalem alongside fellow Lone Soldiers—offering not just a place to sleep, but stability and a community to lean on.

Enlisting became a turning point. The army provided not only meals and routine, but peace of mind. "I didn't have to worry about rent or food. I found real friendships, and even started thinking about my future," he said. He discovered a passion for computers and technology—an entirely new world, and one he now sees as a potential career path.

A.'s story is one of transformation: from isolation to connection, from survival to ambition. It is a powerful example of what becomes possible when a young person receives not only support—but belief.

Snapshots of Daily Support

At the Lone Soldier Center, care is not just a mission—it's a daily reality, reflected in countless small actions that provide comfort, connection, and dignity.

Recently, volunteers from Bank Leumi and Amdocs joined us to prepare warm, nourishing meals for soldiers living in the Center's homes in Beit Hakerem and Herzliya. In another moving effort, the Center arranged for the parents of Nico, a Lone Soldier, to attend his IDF swearing-in ceremony—transforming a distant milestone into a moment of shared family memory.

Matan, a Lone Soldier injured three times during training, was visited during recovery. Despite the physical toll, he returned to serve each time, driven by commitment to his fellow soldiers. His resilience continues to inspire all those who meet him.

To lift spirits during this difficult time, the Jerusalem Center hosted a backgammon board painting night alongside burgers, the Tel Aviv Center organized a board game night, and the Beer Sheva Center welcomed soldiers with pizza and an intimate Shabbat dinner.

When Israel entered the Rising Lion operation against unprecedented threats, the Lone Soldier Center immediately adapted to meet urgent needs, even as our physical centers were temporarily closed.

The team reached out personally to active and recently discharged Lone Soldiers to ensure their safety, offer emotional support, and provide essential resources. Digital gift cards helped cover groceries, medication, and daily basic expenses while many soldiers' jobs and studies were put on hold. Licensed social workers held trauma support sessions via Zoom in both Hebrew and English to address rising mental health needs. Meals were prepared for pickup whenever possible. Throughout relentless rocket attacks and growing anxiety, the Lone Soldier Center remained a vital constant source of comfort, connection, and practical aid.

The Courage Behind Every Story

Every Lone Soldier's story is different. Some, like Dima and Sandro, left Ukraine seeking safety and a future. Others, like Milla from France or Shaul from a Haredi background, left families behind—sometimes by choice, sometimes by necessity.

But they all share one thing: the courage to serve Israel, despite the distance, the language barriers, the loss, and the hardship.

Thanks to the Lone Soldier Center in Memory of Michael Levin, none of them has to face anything alone.

To learn more about these incredibly brave young men and women, the support provided, and how to help, visit www.lonesoldiercenter.com. The website includes information on volunteering, donating, and joining the mission to stand behind those who stand up for Israel.

From the Editor

There many other residences and services for lone soldiers in Israel, including a Government Website which also includes housing options, and general guiding information.

Government Website: https://draftidf.co.il/housing/#1501589108776-cf7ca4ee-1dfc

List of Residences for Lone Soldiers

Compiled by Michael Wolff

• The Lone Soldier Center in memory of Michael Levin – 3 centers: Jerusalem, Tel Aviv, Beer Sheva
• Bayit Shel Benji – Benji Hillman Foundation Raanana, https://benjihillman.org/the-home/
  
• Bayit Brigade – Beit Daniella in Ramat Gan and a number of apartments. https://www.bayitbrigade.org/housing-services
  
• Bayit Cham – has individual apartments. The Association for Israel's Soldiers -האגודה למען החייל. https://www.ufis.org.il/en
  
• Osey Chayil – apartments for Haredi Lone Soldiers - https://oseychail.org/en/about-us
  
• Garin Mahal for soldiers joining the Mahal unit. https://garinmahal.com/living-arrangements-before-and-during-the-idf#:~:text=GarinMahal%20%2D%20Living%20arrangements%20before%20and%20during%20the%20IDF.
  
• The Absorption Center (Merkaz Klita) in Raanana provides apartments, food and counseling support to Lone Soldiers.