Lone Soldier Rights and Benefits

General Information

Lone Soldiers are those serving in the IDF while their parents live abroad. Serving as a Lone Soldier comes with unique challenges that regular IDF soldiers do not normally face. Accordingly, Lone Soldiers have many rights and benefits to help them throughout their service. Their main resource on base for access and clarification to these rights and benefits is a Mashakit Tash (welfare soldier). Each benefit is listed by name, what it entails, and how a soldier can receive it. The following is the most current and updated list of Lone Soldier benefits as of February 2024, including a summary chart of all the financial benefits.

Merkaz Bodedim מרכז בודדים

Created in March 2020, Merkaz Bodedim is the IDF’s Lone Soldier department. It serves as the army’s internal resource for all things Lone Soldiers-related, including their rights and benefits. Merkaz Bodedim is responsible for all Lone Soldiers from before their draft, during their service, and after they are released. Part of their services includes a 24/7 hotline that provides clarification and assistance in multiple languages.

Merkaz Bodedim is a resource for anyone with questions about Lone Soldiers, including IDF commanders, Lone Soldier parents, and the Lone Soldiers themselves.

Hotline from Israel: 1111
Hotline from abroad: +972-3-5691000
WhatsApp: +972-52-9437725
Email: [email protected]

Monthly Salaries and Stipends

	Non Combat Support	Combat Support	Combat
Base Salary	1327 NIS	1830 NIS	2515 NIS
Lone Soldier Stipend	637.11 NIS	637.11 NIS	637.11 NIS
Risk Pay		247.68 NIS	495.05 NIS
Total	1964.11 NIS	2715 NIS	3647 NIS

Additional Stipends
Apartment Maintenance for Lone Soldiers	372.39 NIS
Lone Soldier Rental Assistance	1,482.49 NIS
Dirat Alach Residents Food Stipend (Army sponsored Apartments)	400 NIS
Choger/CIBUS App Food Stipend (Shufersal & Shekem)	150 NIS

Aliyah Related Stipends
Misrad HaKlitah	540 NIS (Olim are eligible if less than 5 years have passed between their aliyah date and their draft date)
Misrad Habinui	402 NIS (First payment received 13 months after aliyah date)