Home for Lone Soldiers at Hannaton

Sustaining Our Lone Soldier Home  About the Project  In September 2025, the first cohort of Lone Soldiers moved into their new home at the Hannaton Educational Center. These are young men and women who chose to leave their families and serve in the IDF without parents nearby. In the wake of October 7th and an ongoing, fragile reality, their courage feels even more profound. Hannaton’s Lone Soldier Program is the first residential program in Israel rooted in a traditional, egalitarian, and pluralistic Jewish framework. Here, soldiers do not have to give up tradition to feel included — and they do not have to compromise who they are to belong. Every background is welcomed. Every level of observance is respected. On our Galilee campus, they live alongside Israeli peers from our Mechina program — sharing Shabbat meals, celebrating holidays, and building real community. Inclusion is not theoretical. Our current cohort includes soldiers from diverse Jewish communities around the world, including several navigating service with disabilities. Each one is fully supported, fully seen, and fully part of the fabric of campus life. Opening the residence was only the beginning. Lone Soldiers face cultural adjustment, military intensity, financial strain, and the emotional weight of distance from family. At Hannaton, we ensure they are never alone. Your support sustains: • On-campus housing and daily community life • Host family networks • Leadership development and mentorship • Emergency and medical assistance • Ongoing programming and alumni guidance The building stands. The community is growing. Now we must sustain the human ecosystem that turns a residence into a home. This is more than housing. It is belonging in a time of uncertainty. It is resilience. It is a promise to young people who chose Israel — that Israel chooses them back.