Bringing Passover joy to lone soldiers
The Israeli-based Lone Soldier Center in Memory of Michael Levin launched a campaign to provide supermarket vouchers for Pesach provisions.
Former Israel Defense Forces lone soldiers founded the center to support other lone soldiers, whose families are overseas, impoverished, or estranged. Mr. Levin, who was born in the United States, made aliyah, joined the IDF as a lone soldier, and died in 2006, fighting in the Second Lebanon War. The organization named in his memory assists, connects, and cares for lone soldiers before, during, and after their IDF service. It has branches in Jerusalem, Tel Aviv, Haifa, and Be’er Sheva.
There are now more than 6,000 lone soldiers from 50 countries in the IDF. The center provides them support, advice, Shabbat and holiday meals, and social events, and helps with housing, furniture, and essential items. Its small staff and more than 300 dedicated volunteers work to provide for the lone soldiers’ needs.
The LSC is a grassroots, Israel-based charitable organization with no U.S. staff members. Lone soldiers are invited to seders throughout Israel. In anticipation of food they need for the holiday, LSC provides the lone soldiers with supermarket vouchers to assist them in observing Passover without having to worry about money.
The center has set a goal of raising a minimum of $18,000, which will permit them to give vouchers to at least 700 lone soldiers.
To donate, go to lonesoldiercenter.com/vouchers-for-lone-soldiers. Donations are tax deductible. For information about the Lone Soldier Center, go to www.lonesoldiercenter.com.
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