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From the desk of…..
Anti-semitism and anti-Israel sentiments are on the rise around the world. What stronger defense do we have then the growing ranks of the brave young men and women whose strong zionist ideals have lead them to join the IDF or serve as b’not sheirut doing national service in Israel.
After serving to protect Israel some return to their home countries to continue to fight, this time against anti-Israel sentiments and anti-semitism. They continue their service as first hand ambassadors on campuses and in their communities, not only serving Israel but serving all of Am Yisroel. Those who remain in Israel are ambassadors to their home countries as well, in addition they continue to serve as reservists in the IDF.
The Michael Levin Lone Soldier Foundation is proud to provide for programs and services to lone soldier and lone b’not sheirut before, during, and after their service. And in addition supporting and providing resources to their parents around the world.
If you’re reading this you are already an ardent supporter of Israel. I hope you’ll join me in being a generous supporter of the brave young men and women serving as lone soldier and defending our Jewish Homeland and shining a light on the epitome of what it is to be a zionist.
As you scroll down you can see the many ways you can show your support. Thank you!
Stacie Stufflebeam
Executive Director
Michael Levin Lone Soldier Foundation
Erica from Hong Kong- Parent of Issy
Our daughter has always been a trailblazer. When she drafted in November 2020, she became the first Hong Kong ‘baby’ without Israeli parents to serve in the IDF. This also made us the first non-Israeli Hong Kong parents of a lone soldier.
For any parent of a lone soldier, there are innumerable challenges to be navigated from our armchairs as even the most independent and capable of lone soldiers need support. Many are fortunate enough to have family in Israel to rely on. We do not. As lone parents of a lone soldier, for the first time we found it difficult to give advice to our daughter without relatable life experience of having navigated Israeli bureaucracy ourselves.
Without a community, I turned to Facebook forums when my daughter needed advice that I was unable to give. Fortunately my quest for answers led me to Stacie Stufflebeam Director of the Michael Levin Lone Soldier Foundation, and a lone soldier mom as well, who replied to one of the questions that I had posted.
When my daughter, frustrated by her eight hour commute from base to the kibbutz she was living on, expressed the desire to find housing in a more central area, Stacie was again able to help by connecting her to Bayit shel Benji.
Not only did Stacie give advice on how we can best support our daughter, she also was able to help me tap into a community online, and later in person, of other parents of lone soldiers with relatable challenges.
While lockdowns and quarantines, changing regulations and complex visa and permit systems continue to provide challenges for all of us, tapping into the right resources to make things just a bit easier has proven to be invaluable. Making a lifelong friend in the process is beyond an added bonus.
A message from Mark and Harriet Levin:
It’s hard to believe that 15 years have passed since we received the devastating news that our beloved son Michael had fallen in combat. From the pain of his loss, to informing our close friends and family, to our hastily arranged trip to Israel, to watching his casket being lowered into the ground, to the incredible out pouring of support and the news media frenzy that accompanied it every step of the way, we remember it all. The sights, the sounds and the memories will forever be ingrained in the deepest recesses of our hearts and minds.
We often recall the last time we saw him and said our final farewells at the El Al departure terminal at JFK Airport. I was the first in our family to hug and kiss him good-bye, his mother Harriet was next followed by his two sisters, Elisa and Dara. Something deep inside told me not to let go of him. I reached out to him one last time. I grabbed him by his shoulders, pulled him close and enveloped him in a final fatherly embrace. Then he turned, went through security and was gone. Even though time has healed the open wound of his loss, the scars that it left behind will always be with us. There isn’t a day that goes by that we don’t think about Michael. During family celebrations, holiday dinners, or special events, we always feel his absence.
Though these memories and his loss will always be a part of us, we decided long ago that for our own well-being and mental health we had to find a way to move forward.  Thankfully, Michael showed us the way.
It was his vision and dream to establish a formal way to help lone soldiers like himself overcome the hurdles that they uniquely faced. We are proud that we have done just that. Through the Michael Levin Lone Soldier Foundation we have been able to fund programs and services that fulfill the needs of all lone soldiers, before, during and after their service tin the IDF.
That has been our focus and the lifeline for keeping Michael’s name, memory, and his dream alive. We could not have done this without the generous support of thousands of well-meaning people around the world. Thank you for supporting the Michael Levin Lone Soldier Foundation and helping us to achieve all that Michael had hoped for, and we hope that you will continue to help us keep Michael’s dream alive.
Mark & Harriet

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