Enlistment. Estrangement.
When David told his Haredi parents he was enlisting in the IDF, they told him not to come back.
Days later, we found him walking the streets with a bag of laundry and nowhere to go. We brought him home.
We met the hidden world of Haredi lone soldiers: young people who choose to serve Israel, often at the cost of family, community, and belonging.
In 2016, that single open door became Osey Chayil. Today, hundreds of lone soldiers know they are no longer alone.
The Reality
Most soldiers leave the army base knowing someone is waiting for them at home.
For many Haredi soldiers, that is no longer true.
Choosing to enlist can mean losing the support of family, community, and the only world they have ever known. Their demanding military service is compounded by an existential identity crisis and the daily struggle to survive without financial stability, emotional support – or even just a place to spend Shabbat.
Osey Chayil exists to make sure they never have to carry that burden alone. From enlistment through life after the army, we provide the home, community, and support every lone soldier deserves.
How We Help
We provide practical, emotional, and ongoing support for Haredi lone soldiers, from the moment they enlist and throughout their service, and into life after the army:
Furnished apartments
Adoptive families
Emotional support and personal guidance
Real Support, Not Just Packages
A Home to Come Back To
Adoptive Families
Someone to Talk To
Financial Assistance
Community
A Future After the Army
Stand With Them
They chose to serve. Many lost everything familiar in the process.
Now it’s our turn to show up for them.
Together, we can ensure no Haredi lone soldier is left without a home. One open door can change everything.
