The Lone Soldier Center, founded in memory of fallen IDF soldier Michael Levin, stands as a beacon of support for thousands of lone soldiers—young men and women who serve in the Israel Defense Forces without immediate family in the country. Whether they’ve come from abroad or are Israelis lacking familial support, these soldiers receive housing, meals, mental health care, and a sense of family from the center.

In a powerful initiative to connect American communities with the reality of life for lone soldiers, the Lone Soldier Center launched a U.S. speaking tour May 4-15. This East Coast tour made stops in New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Maryland, hosting over 30 events in synagogues, JCCs, community centers and schools. The delegation brought three IDF soldiers—two American-born and one Israeli-born—to audiences, alongside CEO Liora Rubinstein, a former senior adviser to the IDF on women’s affairs.

Last Sunday morning, on Mother’s Day, the Hebrew Institute of Riverdale—The Bayit hosted a “Brunch of Honor” to celebrate the delegation, local lone soldier families and veteran lone soldiers.

Lillie, a lone soldier who is now living in New York, recounted joining the army right after she graduated college in 2017. “I had to leave the day after graduation to make the last draft before I turned 23,” she said. She served in artillery and, despite having extended family in Israel, she bonded most deeply with her fellow American lone soldiers. One of them recently flew to New York to attend her wedding.

Brett, a young man now working in corporate hospitality in Williamsburg, shared: “I had an awakening a few years after college. I thought, ‘I don’t want to turn around and be 30 and not have done anything real.’” He fought his way into the IDF despite being over the standard draft age. “It was the most difficult thing I had ever done,” he said of his time in the Nachal combat unit. But the support he received made all the difference. “The Lone Soldier Center set me up with not one but two adoptive families who always hosted me for Shabbat and holidays.”

The brunch was deeply moving. Rabbanit Bracha Jaffe of the Bayit opened the program. After the group sang “Hatikvah,” she saluted the lone soldiers and the center that supports them: “You step in where family can’t be, and you do it with care, warmth and a deep sense of responsibility. Lone—yes, but not alone.”

She then introduced Liora Rubinstein, the Lone Soldier Center’s CEO and a trailblazer for women in the IDF. Rubinstein commended the parents in the room: “Congratulations on having such brave and principled children.” She noted that the orange flowers on the tables were in memory of the Bibas family, a visual reminder of why such service and support are so critical.

Amy Golding, chief development officer of Friends of the Lone Soldier, opened the floor to the audience to share their own experiences. What followed were honest, heartfelt stories.

Ari, a lone soldier from 1999, recalled: “We [the lone soldiers] were known as great, enthusiastic soldiers. We had traversed oceans to serve, without family nearby, many of us learning Hebrew while serving on the front lines.”

Inbal then proudly said: “In my family, we have the privilege of being three generations of lone soldiers—my dad sitting next to me served in the ’70s, I started my service in ’97, and now my son is serving. Israelis are amazing. There is always an open home for him. It’s wonderful but you’re still a lone soldier. Your mom and dad are not there. The Lone Soldier Center is a place that supports them. It’s a big deal.”

Daniel, a master sergeant in the IDF reserves and part of the delegation, gave powerful testimony. A New Jersey native, he served in a special forces medical unit providing trauma care in Gaza. “It was the greatest and the hardest thing I have ever done,” he said. Daniel had finished his army service and was living in New York with his girlfriend on Oct. 7, 2023. He immediately flew to Israel to find his home on Kibbutz Erez destroyed and many loved ones gone. He spent seven and a half months in Gaza as a paramedic—witnessing last breaths and signing death certificates. “I sustained some heavy trauma … took some bullets and explosives.”

But he didn’t speak only about his sacrifice. He turned to the parents in the room. “You guys are the heroes too—the moms and dads who just want to hug their kids but can’t. But you made the decision to support your children in what they’re doing right now. Know that they are doing the right thing, and that they’re going to be OK, and that Israel and its community is there to hold them.”

Another delegation member, Hava, a young Israeli woman who grew up anti-Zionist, shared her own transformation. “I decided I wanted to join the army and be part of Israeli culture as a Zionist.” Estranged from her parents, she worked her way up from weapons technician to officer in the paratroopers. “It was the best journey ever,” she declared.

Finally, an older man stood and said: “When I joined Tzahal in 1969, there was no such thing as support for lone soldiers. My grandson is serving now, and I try to explain to him how lucky he is. … My parents were Holocaust survivors. I grew up in Zionist movements. I’m a believer in doing. אם אין אני לי, מי לי If we don’t do it, who will?”

For more information, please visit: https://lonesoldiercenter.com/