Today there are over 7,000 lone soldiers in the IDF.
By Hezy Laing
Israel has a unique category of soldier, rarely found in other armies – the lone soldier.
Lone soldiers are members of the IDF who lack family support in Israel. They mainly include:
Immigrants who moved to Israel alone
Volunteers from abroad (e.g., Mahal or Garin Tzabar programs)
Native Israelis who are estranged from their families or are orphaned
Today, there are over 7,000 lone soldiers in the IDF, coming from more than 70 countries — and this number is steadily growing.
20 years ago there were just over 2,500.
The largest number of lone soldiers come from the USA and Russia, with significant representation from Ukraine, France, the UK, Argentina, South Africa, Canada, and Brazil.
Being a lone soldier can be especially challenging, with no family to return to at the end of a long day or week on base.
To ease their service, the IDF and various nonprofits provide lone soldiers with a host of benefits.
These include: free housing, monthly stipends and rent subsidies, flights to visit family back home, “errand days,” mental health support, and post-service assistance with reintegration into civilian life.
Lone soldiers play a special role in the IDF, beyond their regular military duties.
They serve as a powerful symbol to their Israeli peers, demonstrating that serving in the IDF is a privilege — one for which many are willing to sacrifice, even from afar.
One notable lone soldier was Sgt. Sean Carmeli, a 21-year-old Israeli-American from Texas, who was killed in action in Gaza on July 20, 2014, during Operation Protective Edge.
His funeral became a powerful symbol of unity and national pride in Israel.
Carmeli was buried at Neve David Military Cemetery in Haifa on July 21, 2014.
Initially, it was feared that his funeral would be sparsely attended due to his lone soldier status.
However, Maccabi Haifa — his favorite soccer team — posted a heartfelt message on social media urging fans to attend.
The response was overwhelming: over 20,000 people came to pay their respects.
Attendees included people from all walks of life — religious, secular, soldiers, and civilians alike.
Traffic jams and the need for medical aid were reported due to the massive turnout.
