Northern Israel Opens New Home for Lone Soldiers

A new chapter in Zionist commitment and Jewish unity began this week in northern Israel, where the Hannaton Educational Center inaugurated a residential facility dedicated to lone soldiers young Jewish immigrants preparing to serve in the Israel Defense Forces without immediate family in the country.

The program, developed in partnership with Keren Kayemet LeYisrael (KKL-JNF), JNF USA, and other organizations, welcomed its first group of 30 new immigrants from North America. It offers not only a roof and warm meals, but also something deeper community, belonging, and a purpose grounded in the service of the Jewish state.

Participants will live on Hannaton’s campus alongside Israeli peers enrolled in a pre-army leadership academy, fostering bonds through shared holidays, cultural activities, and everyday life. The pluralistic environment aims to help lone soldiers integrate into Israeli society and the IDF, while offering emotional and practical support along the way.

“Throughout history, many lone soldiers fought heroically alongside their Israeli-born comrades. Some fell in battle far from their families but surrounded by the love of the people of Israel,” said Rabbi Yoav Ende, head of the Hannaton Educational Center. “This home ensures that our newest heroes never feel alone.”

KKL-JNF Chairwoman Yifat Ovadia-Luski emphasized the broader mission. “This initiative reflects our deep commitment to Zionism, aliyah, attachment to the land and love of Israel,” she said, adding that strengthening Jewish presence in the Galilee remains a strategic and national priority.

For Ilan, 22, a native of Philadelphia, this journey is deeply personal. “My baseball teammates would call me ‘the Jew,’ and anti-Israel protests became routine. I wanted to come to Israel—to be in a place where I could feel free to truly be myself,” he shared. Now, Ilan is hoping to join a special forces unit.

Garin Tzabar CEO Yair Ran Peled called the project “a national undertaking.” An 800,000 NIS crowdfunding campaign helped launch the campus, where each soldier will be paired with an Israeli host family to guide them through their military service and cultural adaptation.

This home is more than a place to sleep it is a launchpad for young Zionists answering the call of Jewish destiny. With the help of the broader Israeli and diaspora community, these lone soldiers are never truly alone.

Celebrate the future of Israel’s defenders. Share this article or subscribe to our newsletter to stay informed and stand with Israel.