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עמוד הבית – English

Zionism :

Thousands of lone soldiers volunteer each year to serve in the IDF to protect us - let’s help protect them.

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Giving

500 discharged lone soldiers volunteer as Big Brothers and Sisters for other lone soldiers – let’s help support them. ‏

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Family

Become family for the lone soldiers at a time when they need it most.‏

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The Big Brother Organization for Lone Soldiers

Ach Gadol is not about what we are but about who we are.
Over 14 years ago, we started a unique social initiative that aimed to provide support and guidance for young individuals trying to integrate into Israeli society on their own. We created a safe haven for this unique community and called it Ach Gadol.

An Ach Gadol – or Big Brother/Sister – is a volunteer who was once a lone soldier within their military service. Volunteers can reflect on personal experiences to provide each lone soldier with resilience, cultural competence, accessible information on how to exercise rights and most importantly, emotional support.

We embarked on this journey with 15 volunteers. Today we are going strong with over 500 volunteers. We provide ongoing support for over 1500 lone soldiers year round, and we prepare about 500 young individuals ahead of their military service each year.

Ach Gadol is the only lone soldier organization that utilizes a one-to-one mentorship structure, such that each individual soldier receives the undivided attention of their older brother or sister

The Organization’s Activity in Numbers

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President’s Award

What is a Big Brother?

They talk about it better than us

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“An Ach Gadol is someone to look up to, someone to talk to if you need help or advice, someone who was in the same situation as you just recently. He helps me with all my problems and takes care of everything I need, whether it’s Shabbat dinner or Sukkot or military advice, I know he’s someone who will want to help me at any time. I am very happy to have joined the Ach Gadol community.”

Jackie And Elinoam

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“Ach Gadol for me is a support system. Someone who is there to help me personally, someone to turn to when I need it. Whenever I felt like I needed someone or something, my Achot Gdola was there to help me with anything I needed, no matter what.”

Michaela and Faigy
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“Elisha always helps me with everything, explains everything to me, encourages me, comes to my ceremonies, and so much more. I feel like he is part of my family already, like a real brother.”

Nikita and Elisha 

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More about lone soldiers

There are currently 6,400 soldiers serving in the IDF who hold the status of a lone soldier. This population is split into two segments both lacking immediate familial ties: immigrants and native-born soldiers. Both types of soldiers eventually encounter differences in culture, education, economic status, and above all, face a lack of support from a nuclear family unit.

This sense of loneliness and the daily struggle to survive, can weaken a soldier’s resilience and divert their attention from their military missions. Young individuals that lack a strong support system can easily deteriorate into a negative lifestyle that leads many soldiers to end their military service prematurely or return to their country of origin.

The IDF and the United for Israel’s Soldiers Association (UFIS) actively support soldiers in terms of welfare, financial benefits, housing arrangements and additional benefits such as funding flights to visit parents in their country of origin. Soldiers are also provided with rights to
take days off to run errands, spend time with visiting parents and more. The Big Brother Association has been working alongside the IDF and UFIS as the only organization that provides each soldier with personal accompaniment and 1:1 guidance.

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What's New: Updates and Media Mentions

During some of the most complex time periods in Israel, they chose to leave everything, make Aliyah and draft to the IDF

Today a whole busload of Achim Gdolim showed up to celebrate with the lone soldiers who finished their basic training and Hebrew course at Michve Alon and are continuing with training and significant roles in their military service. We came with bagfuls of treats and packages prepared by second grade students from the Shimon Peres school in Kfar Saba.

 

We also brought 100 black wool beanies hand-knitted personally by Ms. Michal Porat, 89 years old (!), who has been knitting for the lone soldiers of Ach Gadol for 5 years and for many years to come. We wish you great success in your military and personal life. No doubt you are an inspiration to all of us, and we are always here to hug, support and encourage. Thank you for all that you do. We are so proud of you!

Eric Dargel, an Ach Gadol volunteer's , talks about the difficulties that the lone reservists are facing

Being a reservist in a war for so long is hard. Being a reservist in the war and not having a family around – can be harder. Eric, an Ach Gadol volunteer, describes with great pain, the difficulties that so many lone reservists like him are facing. For Santiago Ovadia z”l and Valdislav Sergejenko z”l it is already too late. But for many other reservists – this message is so important!

!One weekend, 120 new beginnings

This weekend we held the Ach Gadol seminar for released lone soldiers as well as the annual seminar for new Ach Gadol volunteers Over 24 hours, the future generation of Ach Gadol, and newly released citizens, received all the tools necessary to become citizens and volunteers who have a significant and positive impact on Israeli society and the lone soldiers. We would like to thank the many speakers and professionals who came to teach, explain and conduct important and professional workshops.

 

Thanks to the volunteers and the Ach Gadol alumni who came to give guidance and tips to those who are now taking their first steps on their new journeys.

Thanks to the Ramada Hotel for the hospitality that goes above and beyond.

And of course thanks to the volunteers and soldiers who came, learned, asked and truly looked to become the best versions of themselves.

We wish you success in the paths you have chosen and are proud of you for all that you do!

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