The Yavneh Academy sixth graders had an opportunity to Skype with different lone soldiers at the Lone Soldier Center in Israel. The Lone Soldier Center in Memory of Michael Levin was founded in 2009 by a group of former lone soldiers aware of, and concerned with, the needs and struggles of around 7,000 lone soldiers serving in the IDF. The Lone Soldier Center is the first and only organization solely dedicated to meeting all of the physical and emotional needs of soldiers who volunteered to be in the IDF from over 50 countries around the world. These soldiers don’t have their family in Israel—the center becomes their family.

The students met four different soldiers. One was from Germany, two from America and one was from Israel but is a Muslim, so his family disowned him when he joined the IDF. Each soldier shared with the students why they joined the army as well as their daily routine. After each session, the children had a chance to ask their own questions. It was a very rewarding program especially after recently celebrating Yom Ha’atzmaut.