My ds wants to join the idf and make aliya, need advice

amother

Mon, Jul 25 2022, 11:00 am

Hi everyone!

My ds is approaching his junior year in high school and is interested in joining the idf after high school. He is a very good student and has always wanted to live in Israel. Because we are out of towners our son attends Public High school but did attend Yeshiva until middle school. He does have some Hebrew language skills but is not fluent. We are also modern orthodox.

Does anyone have any experience with the lone soldier program? Are there any benefits once completing the program? ( such as college tuition breaks in Israel, if my son decides to go to college in Israel). Where do lone soldiers live in Israel?

Is it possible to become a lone soldier after completing college here in America?

Please let us know if you have any advice or experience.

Thank you!

amother

Mon, Jul 25 2022, 11:08 am

Thank you for responding!

He is only interested in army service and not the learning programs. However he is shomer Shabbas and kosher.

His dream is to serve in the IDF and then attend college in Israel or vice versa.

shabbatiscoming

Mon, Jul 25 2022, 11:12 am

amother [ OP ] wrote:

There are so many young men who do this, idf then uni. Good luck to him and kol hakavod for being open to him doing this. I tip my hat to lone soldier's parents.

amother

Steel

Mon, Jul 25 2022, 11:13 am

amother [ OP ] wrote:

Ahh ok.
You're probably looking for one of the religious army units, but I second talking to NBN

Alternative

Mon, Jul 25 2022, 11:16 am

amother [ Steel ] wrote:

Ahh ok.
You're probably looking for one of the religious army units, but I second talking to NBN

She probably isn't looking for a religious army unit. If it isn't hesder, it's usually for charedi youth (who are usually a bit out of the box charedi). I don't see an American MO boy fitting in there, if they would even accept him.

There are plenty of mixed secular-religious army units where he can fit it. That's where most religious boys go if they aren't haredi and aren't interested in a learning unit (hesder).

amother

Orange

Mon, Jul 25 2022, 11:19 am

Kol Hakavod to him and to you. You must be very proud.
I would reach out to nefesh b’nefesh and the Michael Levin Lone Soldier Center.

I believe if he a makes Aliya tuition is greatly reduced if not free, depending on where he goes.

amother

Teal

Mon, Jul 25 2022, 11:21 am

amother [ OP ] wrote:

your son is so special, with intense connection to his heritage, kudos to him.

But obviously if he wants to stay "shomer Shabbas and kosher" there will have to be intense research and planning before, just check the stats of those that stay frum.

Best wishes

amother

Mon, Jul 25 2022, 11:22 am

Thank you everyone! I will be reaching out to NBN as well.
Just wanted to see if any imamothers have any experiences with the lone soldier programs.

I appreciate everyone's responses!

juggling

Mon, Jul 25 2022, 11:34 am

amother [ Teal ] wrote:

I think that's fear-mongering. It's no different than if he'd be attending uni in the US. If he's committed to shabbat and kashrut he will have no problem maintaining that commitment in the IDF. Kids who give it up while in the army are kids who would have given it up as young adults in any case.

shabbatiscoming

Mon, Jul 25 2022, 12:46 pm

amother [ Teal ] wrote:

Not sure why you needed to put this in. There are many religuous boys who go in a d come out religious. Not just in hesder.

grace413

Mon, Jul 25 2022, 1:09 pm

Kol hakavod to your son
I strongly suggest that he do the army first and university after. This way he will be the same age as the Israeli boys. The army generally puts lone soldiers whose hebrew is not up to par in an ulpan program called michveh alon where I think they also learn about Israeli history. Then they go to a regular unit.

Hatzlacha.

essie14

Mon, Jul 25 2022, 1:18 pm

Kol hakavod to your son!
I know some American lone soldiers who came through Garin Tzabar.

My DS just finished his army service and he stayed completely frum. (Made aliyah at age 8) He was not in a particularly frum unit, he never had any problems with anything Judaism-related and he had some lone soldiers in his unit.
He was on a straight army track, not hesder.

There are definitely more benefits for lone soldiers.
I'd reach out to NBN and the Michael Levin Lone Soldier Center, as others suggested.
Once he's actually accepted for aliyah and the IDF, there's a great Anglo IDF parents Facebook group which will give you a ton of support.

amother

Ivory

Mon, Jul 25 2022, 1:22 pm

Garin Tzabar is great. They have a whole host community and chevra, it's a really special program.
Your son should be entitled to a free BA just for being an oleh, not connected to serving in the army (though he might be entitled separately to money toward a degree from the army as well).
Has he looked into mechina? There are many one year programs that help prepare post- high school students for the army, they aren't necessarily yeshiva style (some are - gasp- co-ed community service based ... And frum etc.) But might be a nice starting point.
The Michael Levin lone soldier center also offers programs and different kinds of support. Maybe they can be helpful.
Btw... My husband did full army service in a regular combat unit (not hesder or nachal), and he's definitely still frum.

S1959

Mon, Jul 25 2022, 1:24 pm

My son is a lone soldier. They have apartments for lone soldiers. Sometimes he has to do guard duty on Shabbos, but that is pekuach nefesh. Does your son know what unit he wants to be in?

chanchy123

Mon, Jul 25 2022, 1:29 pm

Kol hakavod. Sounds like a great plan, other posters have you resources - so I’m not going to do that.
Just reassuring you that of course it’s normal and possible to go to the IDF and maintain a frum lifestyle even if you don’t join a religious unit/program - plenty of young men and women do it.

amother

Mon, Jul 25 2022, 1:36 pm

amother [ Ivory ] wrote:

Thank you for sharing! Can you please tell me what is mechina? Thank you!