Fun Day for lone soldiers sponsored by FIDF
IDF lone soldiers celebrate at largest ever 'Fun Day' at Shefayim Water Park
Leaving their homes to serve Israel, IDF lone soldiers are soldiers who have no immediate family living in the Jewish state, or are not in contact with their parents; the FIDF wanted to thank these young men and women for their service and sponsored a 'Fun Day' at a TLV water park for 5,500 of them.
Over 5,500 IDF "lone soldiers" gathered at Israel's largest water park outside of Tel Aviv for a "Fun Day" hosted by Friends of the Israel Defense Forces (FIDF) in partnership with the IDF and Yachad Le’maan Ha’chayal (The Association for the Wellbeing of Israel's Soldiers and The LIBI Fund). This was the largest "Fun Day" for lone soldiers ever held.
IDF lone soldiers are soldiers with no immediate family in Israel, or are Israelis who do not have any contact with their parents.
There are some 6,400 lone soldiers from 80 countries serving in the IDF today. About 880 are American, 530 are Russian, 520 are Ukrainian, and 460 are French.
Lone soldiers at the Lone Soldier Fun Day (Photo: Scally Photography)
Sixty-eight percent of all lone soldiers in the IDF are men, while 32 percent are women.
The FIDF “Fun Day” at the Shefayim Water Park just north of Tel Aviv benefitted lone soldiers from all over the IDF. In addition to the park’s many attractions, the “Fun Day” featured a pool party with leading Israeli DJ Eran Barnea, gift care packages including wireless headphones, an all-day smorgasbord of barbeque and desserts and performances by Israeli superstars Static and Ben El Tavori.
Lone soldiers at the Shefayim water park (Photo: Scally Photography)
The FIDF cares for all lone soldiers serving in the IDF through the Lone Soldiers' Program, which helps support them financially, socially, and emotionally during and after their military service.
Lone soldiers at the Fun Day (Photo: Serena Carsley-Mann)
They also sponsor flights for lone soldiers to visit their families and friends in their countries of origin.
In addition to the 5,500 lone soldiers, there were also various IDF unit commanders, high-ranking officers, 1,000 IDF social welfare non-commissioned officers and FIDF supporters at the festivities to meet and personally thank these men and women in uniform for their service.
