The challenges of war spare no one, Maj. Li Or Sheleg, commander of the head of the IDF’s Lone Soldiers Section, told JNS on Monday.
A mother of four and a trained social worker, Sheleg focuses on understanding the day-to-day needs of soldiers who lack family support, whether they are orphans, estranged from their families, or moved to Israel out of Zionist conviction to serve in the military.
“I know what I give my children as a mother, and I understand what these soldiers are missing,” she said. “Beyond the emotional complexity, there are important functional, managerial and material challenges. In every aspect, we strive to provide support and show these soldiers how much they are valued and appreciated.”
“There is no doubt that dealing with the challenges and implications of war without a supportive family that can recognize distress, even without words, and provide relief affects soldiers in a very complex way,” she added.
Sheleg said the emotional burden often spills over into practical difficulties.
“If emotionally they need support because they are tired, exhausted and worn down, then practically it becomes harder for them to go to government offices, exercise their rights, or receive housing grants,” she said.
“During wartime, we take it upon ourselves to be even more proactive.”
The Lone Soldier Centers, with branches in Jerusalem, Tel Aviv and Beersheva, make about 10,000 outgoing calls each month, in addition to incoming calls from soldiers seeking assistance.
Last year, the Tel Aviv center organized an “Arrangements Day” that brought together more than 40 organizations and relevant government offices.
“There were more than 100 service stations,” Sheleg said. “One stand distributed military equipment, and next to it, there was a seamstress repairing soldiers’ pants, because we understand that even these small practical things are not easy. They require time and energy.”
Some issues, she said, require deeper long-term solutions, particularly for soldiers struggling with cultural gaps between their lives in Israel and their families abroad.
“It becomes a major challenge to explain what it means to live through war while serving in the military under difficult conditions,” she said. “We began offering training sessions for parents, in their native languages and led by professionals, on how to maintain communication with their children.”
Before lone soldiers begin their service, they can take part in preparatory programs run by organizations such as Mahal—Overseas Volunteers, the Kibbutz Movement and Garin Tzabar. Once they become candidates for military service, the army begins the support process and the Lone Soldiers Center contacts them to help guide them through enlistment.
“It can involve help with required medical examinations, obtaining approvals, or securing an enlistment date,” Sheleg said. “We aim to give them a sense of certainty—understanding where they will serve, where they will live and what their salary will be.
“It is important for us to connect with them even before service begins to give them that sense of security.”
Sheleg said lone soldiers are defined by their resilience and values.
“They choose to leave their comfort zone and do something for the good of Israeli society,” she said. “That is true for lone soldiers who are new immigrants crossing continents to serve and cope with being away from their families out of Zionism, but it is also true for other isolated populations.”
The centers’ goal is not merely to help lone soldiers survive financially, but to provide them with economic stability and peace of mind, Sheleg said.
“The IDF provides higher salaries for lone soldiers and additional solutions with positive financial impact, such as military housing where all expenses are covered,” she said. “The housing is at a very high standard, and beyond that, there are programs such as access to financial advisers for those who need assistance.
“There are also a variety of programs for soldiers facing unusual financial hardship, but the salaries, together with the broader financial support system, should allow for economic well-being,” she added.
The vast majority of lone soldiers complete their service successfully, Sheleg said. Others are discharged early due to incompatibility with service or mental health difficulties.
“We have a department at the center that supports all soldiers after discharge, whether they completed successful service, which is the majority, or not,” she said. “We assist them with education, employment and housing, and we also provide support and follow-up for those discharged under difficult circumstances.”
Sheleg said her unit includes about 100 commanders. Since the outbreak of war on Oct. 7, 2023, she has seen a slight increase in lone soldier enlistment.
From the start, new immigrant recruits are evaluated in Hebrew and offered training related to the language but also to Israeli culture and social integration.
“They are coming to serve in what we believe is the most moral army in the world, an organization whose purpose is to protect Israeli society and the Jewish people,” she said.
“They may come as lone soldiers, but they are not alone. There is a unit, an army and an entire society that values them, loves them and will do everything possible to support them. They should know that and act accordingly.”
