Lone Soldier FAQs

What is a Lone Soldier?

A Lone soldier is a soldier in the IDF that has no immediate family in Israel. Many are volunteers from abroad, others are new immigrants, orphans, and Israelis without communication with family.

According to Friends of the IDF (FIDF) there are more than 6,000 Lone Soldiers from 80 countries serving in the IDF today. Half are new immigrants, half are Israelis from broken homes, or are former ultra-Orthodox with no connection to family. Around 800 are from the United States, 550 from from the Ukraine, and 400+ come from both Russia and France. Lone Soldiers are both men and women and over half serve in combat related roles.

What challenges do Lone Soldiers face?

Housing
Affordable housing is one of the biggest struggles Lone Soldiers and veterans face. Lone Soldiers receive a small housing stipend from the army (₪ 1300), which in most cases is not enough to cover the cost of rent. With extremely competitive housing markets in Tel Aviv and Jerusalem, Lone Soldiers are forced to live in basic apartments in undesirable neighborhoods.

Homesickness
Many Lone Soldiers struggle with the challenges of living in a foreign country so far from family and friends. While typical Israeli soldiers have homes to return to on days off, Lone Soldiers are often faced with the question of where they will go for weekends, holidays, and meals. Having to provide for themselves, they rarely have the comforts of a home cooked meal, or someone to do their laundry.

Language
While many Lone Soldiers become fluent in Hebrew, many struggle to reach the competency level required to work in Israel after the army. To land a good job, Lone Soldiers must not only speak the language, but have strong reading and writing comprehension, skills that many lack.

Job Placement
Veterans who wish to stay in Israel after the army often have trouble finding work due to the language skills most jobs require. As a result, Lone Soldiers are limited by the job opportunities they are qualified for. With no steady income or affordable place to live, many veterans return to their home country where it’s easier to find work and start a life.

Depression
There is a saying that "A Lone Soldier is always lonely". While it is not true for everyone, many Lone Soldiers struggle with the mental hurtles of being in the army so far away from family. In recent years, mental health has become a serious issue within the Lone Soldier community after multiple suicides and drug overdoes.

Where do Lone Soldiers typically live?

During the week most Lone Soldiers live on their base which can be located anywhere throughout Israel. On the weekends and days off, Lone Soldiers have two options:

1. Accept one of the housing options provided by the IDF (placement with a host family on a Kibbutz OR live in a shared room in a communal “Soldier’s House”).

2. Use the modest housing allowance from the IDF to independently rent an apartment.

The majority of Lone Soldiers choose to accept the housing allowance from the army to rent small apartments with friends. While it can be a struggle to find an affordable home, most Lone Soldiers prefer the independence of having a place to call their own.

Once a soldier is granted Lone Soldier status from the army they are entitled to special benefits like an increased salary, housing and food allowances, and extra time off to see family.