Ach Gadol hugging the lone soldiers!

When we feel alone, we usually turn to our safest place - our family. There are 6,500 lone soldiers who guard us in the IDF that have no family to support them during their military service. They do everything on their own. The Big Brother NGO was established by former lone soldiers to change the experience of loneliness in the military service. Through a big brother or sister, we are able to give these lone soldiers a safe place to turn to when they are navigating “alone”. Over the past 12 years, we have developed a unique model of personal mentorship, involving 500 volunteers, all of whom are released lone soldiers. These volunteers provide a personal example and a role model for about 1,500 soldiers prior to their enlistment. Together, we provide soldiers with, among other things, bureaucratic assistance, cultural assimilation, access to information, contact with commanders, emotional support, presence at ceremonies and most importantly - a warm and loving hug when returning home. The year of the pandemic was challenging for us as well. The cost of accompanying each soldier is 1,200 NIS for one year. The cost includes financing care packages for soldiers to their bases, exceptional financial assistance, financing trips and meetings with the soldiers, as well as gift packages for birthdays. We ask you to join us in a social-Zionist venture, through which thousands of young people find a home and a family. Together, no one is left alone!