Browse Programs

A grassroots nonprofit supporting lone soldiers -- both immigrant volunteers and Israelis without family support -- from before enlistment through five years post-discharge, offering guidance, community centers, and financial assistance.

A support program for lone soldiers of any country of origin serving in the IDF, providing guidance and services before, during, and after military service, run jointly by Nefesh B'Nefesh and Friends of the IDF.

Living accomodations for lone soldiers on Kibbutz Beerot Yitzchak

A free, month-long live-in pre-army training program for young men (ages 18-26) from around the world preparing to volunteer for IDF service through Mahal, based at a military-style facility in the Jerusalem Forest. Established in 2010 as the first pre-army preparatory program for lone soldiers, it combines intensive Hebrew-immersion ulpan, physical and combat fitness training, special forces tryout simulations, and educational tours on Israeli military history and culture. In 2015 Israel's Ministry of Defense adopted the model and made a pre-army preparatory program mandatory for all Mahal volunteers. No prior Hebrew proficiency or fitness level is required to join, though all training itself is conducted in Hebrew. Participation does not obligate a participant to subsequently draft into the IDF.

The Mahal program allows Jewish youth from foreign countries to serve in the IDF without making Aliyah (citizenship). Volunteers serve for 18 months, fighting alongside regular Israeli soldiers.

An aliyah-support organization, founded in 2002 in partnership with Israel's Ministry of Aliyah and Integration and the Jewish Agency, assisting Jews from North America and the UK through every stage of immigrating to Israel: aliyah advising, an English-speaking employment job board, career-retraining courses, and post-arrival community and government-services support. Runs a dedicated Lone Soldiers Program supporting thousands of IDF-bound immigrants annually from over 70 countries.

A 9-month (or 6-month, depending on the track you decide), co-educational, army-preperation and leadership gap year. The program is completely mixed between Israeli and overseas participants, combining immersive Zionist and Jewish learning with hands-on leadership experiences at World Bnei Akiva's flagship international mechina campus in Jerusalem. The first 3 months of the program are run in English, the second 3 in Hebrew, and the final 3 months are for overseas participants only, and in English.

A national civilian service alternative to IDF service for young adults ages 17-24, placing volunteers in hospitals, schools, at-risk-youth programs, farms, and other social service settings. There are many different organizations that are in charge of sheirut leumi that individuals can reach out to to find the best placements,

A long-running lone-soldier program (since 1991) that brings young Jewish adults from abroad to make aliyah and serve in the IDF, providing a 'garin' (seed group) peer community, host absorption support, and ongoing assistance before, during, and after military service.