Together – Soldiers and Holocaust Survivors

TOGETHER WE CAN COMBAT LONELINESS

For Lone Soldiers and Holocaust survivors, loneliness has become a reality.

Of the 189,000 Holocaust survivors living in Israel today, more than 10,000 of them are without families. Many are widowed or childless, or tackling the discomfort of their experiences, and daily decision-making all alone.

Alongside this aging community are nearly 7000 Lone Soldiers, who despite various difficulties, serve in the IDF, giving their best to the state of Israel. Each year, once they have fulfilled their contributions, over 2,000 Lone Soldiers are discharged from the IDF. These young immigrants and individuals, without family or support networks, struggle adapting to life in Israel and throughout their journey as Israeli citizens.

The TOGETHER PROJECT, a program run by the Mentor for Life Association, is an initiative to end loneliness for these two communities, using their unique skills and abilities to help each other. Whist vastly different, both of these communities share the same social difficulties of being alone. During funded day trips and personal visits, the Lone Soldiers will escort the Holocaust survivors, assisting them in their daily needs and providing company and companionship. In return, the young men and women will gain valuable mentors and build a support network to assist them during critical junctures in their lives.