Making Sure Our Lone Soldiers Are Never Alone

OTM with Rabbi Myers, Emek Lone Soldier Program

We had the opportunity and privilege to move Rabbi Shalom Myers, founder and executive director of the Emek Lone Soldiers Program. Emek is a an organization dedicated to helping lone soldiers, brave men and women who are serving in the Israeli Defense Force without the support of family and friends that many other their fellow soldiers . Many lone soldiers find themselves attempting to build a new home in a country far away from their family, while others are orphans or Israelis who have become estranged with their families. All of them are undertaking a difficult journey, and need our help. The Emek Learning Center, in 2014, saw just how important it is that a support network be built for our lone soldiers, and founded Emek Lone Soldiers. The aim of Emek Lone Soldiers is to provide lone soldiers with financial relief, spiritual support, and, perhaps most importantly, a warm community to feel a part of.

Jerusalem: Emek Lone Soldiers Center

In November 2014, Emek opened the newest Lone Soldiers Center in the heart of the German Colony neighborhood of Jerusalem.

​The center is designed to be a home away from home for their lone soldiers. They provide:

• Comfortable accommodations for lone soldiers during the week
• Weekly Shabbatons with meals in the center and home hospitality in the community
• A place to hang out and decompress + laundry facilities, BBQ, snacks, Internet access, etc.
• Weekly Programs

Emek Lone Soldiers is 100% funded by the donations of people like you. 

If you'd like to make a donation to support the lone soldiers program, please visit the website.

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Mission Statement from Emek Lone Soldier Program

On a broad scale, our goal is to help IDF lone soldiers (pre-army, currently serving, and post army), by whatever means possible.  Whatever physical or spiritual assistance we can provide to facilitate more positive army services and assistance settling into Israel as productive members of society. Through our network of community members and resources, we try to assist the soldiers with almost any issue or problem they may have.

Additionally and importantly, we want to be a spiritual resource for Lone Soldiers.  Soldiers are put in situations where their life is on the line.  They often serve in harm’s way.  They have questions about life and death, hope and purpose to their lives.  Our Shabbatons (Sabbath weekends) provide great food, singing, divre Torah (torah lessons), and meeting other lone soldiers and young Olim. We provide a synagogue with spirited davening (prayer services) led by the soldiers, a festive meal with a home-like environment, and an option for people to stay for the full Shabbat and be hosted for meals and sleeping accommodations by wonderful families in the community.  These Shabbat events are excellent for those coming from their army bases, those looking to meet other post army Olim, and those who are about to begin their service and want to learn first hand a bit more about the lone soldier perspective. 

In addition to our Shabbatons, we want to have regular meaningful activities available.  We invite Lone Soldiers to the regular weekly services and events of the Emek learning center such as prayer minyanim, interesting guest lectures and classes, Hevruta Torah Study, and special holiday programs.  

We will work hard to provide job opportunities, especially since many lone soldiers already have college degrees and valuable work and army experience.  We also want to provide recreational opportunities: group hikes and trips to holy sites around Israel and even do occasional Shabbatons outside of Jerusalem, and also going out to do Chessed (volunteer good deed, mitzvah) projects.

Once we have an apartment nearby, we will be able to do even more things. The Emek Lone Soldiers with the proper support will be able to contribute so much to Israel and have a lasting influence way beyond their two or three year service in the IDF.  We urge you to help us support our Emek Lone Soldiers Program by contributing to this fund.
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We encourage you to be partners with us to serve our lone soldiers just as they have served our country Israel, and our Jewish people.