Israeli Lone Soldier Rights
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Problem
A lone soldier (chayal boded), an oleh without family in Israel or an Israeli whose parents are abroad, deceased or formally estranged, gets a supplemental benefits package on top of regular service compensation: a monthly grant equal to 100% of a private's base salary, rent + utility assistance during service, free flights home, and up to ₪12,000 of rent assistance in the first year after discharge. But the rules are split across IDF Chief of Staff Order 35.0808 (not user-facing), the hachvana.mod.gov.il extra-benefits page, kolzchut, and diaspora-org programs (Nefesh B'Nefesh, FIDF, Garin Tzabar, Lone Soldier Center in Memory of Michael Levin). Many lone soldiers (and their parents abroad) don't realize they need formal Aka recognition before any of this kicks in, miss the post-discharge rent application within the 12-month window, or assume one benefit replaces another when in fact they stack. This skill maps the recognition flow, the active-duty benefits, the post-discharge supplements (which are distinct from the regular discharged-soldier package), and the diaspora-org routing.
Instructions
Step 1: Who Qualifies as a Lone Soldier (Chayal Boded)
Source quote (kolzchut): "חייל בודד הוא חייל בשירות חובה שאין לו בארץ תמיכה הורית במהלך שירותו הצבאי"
Three recognized categories:
| Category |
Definition |
| Oleh chadash without family in Israel |
Immigrated under Chok HaShvut, parents/immediate family remain abroad |
| Israeli with parents abroad or deceased |
Both parents passed away OR both formally living abroad |
| Israeli formally estranged from parents |
Documented breakdown of parent-child relationship, requires social worker assessment |
The governing IDF order is Pkudat Matkal 35.0808 ("חיילים בודדים, עקרונות, זכויות ונהלים, שירות חובה"). Published in multiple languages on the IDF website.
Step 2: Recognition Process
Source quote (kolzchut): "כדי להיות מוכר כחייל בודד, יש להגיש בקשה ללשכת הגיוס האזורית"
Two different forms, one per phase, do not swap them. Kol Zchut: a pre-enlistment candidate raises boded status at the initial Lishkat HaGiyus interview and then, at the Rakezet Tash's initiative, fills Form 7304 ("לאחר מכן, וביוזמת רכזת הת"ש, עליו למלא טופס 7304"). A soldier ALREADY serving fills Form 62 in two copies before an officer or Mashak Tash in the unit ("ימלא 'שאלון הכרה לחייל בודד' (טופס 62) ב-2 העתקים"). Form 7304 is not internal-only; a pre-enlistment candidate should expect to fill it.
| Phase |
What to do |
Where |
| Pre-enlistment (Lishkat HaGiyus interview) |
Raise lone-soldier status at the initial interview, then fill Form 7304 at the Rakezet Tash's initiative. She forwards it to the office HQ for approval, exceptional cases go to the recognition committee at Maktzar. Approval is mailed home, and the boded certificate is issued on enlistment day. |
Regional recruitment office (lishkat hagiyus haezorit) |
| Already in service |
Submit Form 62 (שאלון הכרה לחייל בודד) in two copies |
Unit officer or Mashak Tash |
| Step |
Detail |
| 1 |
Submit the appropriate form per above |
| 2 |
Required documents depend on track: oleh = Teudat Oleh + family documentation showing parents abroad; estranged Israeli = social worker assessment; orphan = parental death certificates |
| 3 |
Decision via the recruitment-office HQ, or the Maktzar committee in exceptional cases. No processing time is published; ask the Rakezet Tash. |
| 4 |
If rejected: appeal back through Mashak Tash; the appeals committee decision is final unless circumstances change materially |
| 5 |
Hotlines: IDF general line and Soldiers' Ombudsman (numbers on the IDF site), NBN+FIDF 24/7 |
Recognition triggers everything. No benefit on the list below applies until the soldier is officially recognized. Without recognition, even an oleh living alone in Israel gets only the standard private's salary.
Step 3: Active-Duty Monthly Grant
Source quote (kolzchut מענק חודשי): "מענק חודשי קבוע, ששיעורו 100% משכר היסוד של טוראי בשירות חובה. המענק החודשי ישולם יחד עם תשלום שכר החובה"
The recognized lone soldier receives a fixed monthly grant equal to 100% of the base salary of a private (turai) in mandatory service, paid together with the regular salary payment. The base salary is paid as usual and the grant is added on top.
The grant accrues automatically upon recognition, no separate application needed each month. The base monthly boded grant is fixed at 100% of the private's base salary regardless of the soldier's actual rank or service-tier. Kol Zchut publishes the mechanic (100% of a private's base salary) with no NIS figure; the IDF benefits page separately publishes ₪601.2/month. No source equates the two, so do not present them as the same amount. Give the mechanic and have the user confirm the figure with Mashak Tash.
Important: combat and combat-support lone soldiers get an ADDITIONAL boded-specific supplement on top of the base monthly grant. Per the official IDF lone-soldier economic-benefits page: combat lone soldiers at level א'+ (lochem) get ₪467.2/month extra; combat-support at level א' (tomech lechima) get ₪233.7/month extra. These boded-only uplifts STACK on the universal combat/tomech differentials every soldier gets. All three shekel figures come from the IDF benefits page, which does not render outside a real browser session, so we cannot re-verify them each cycle. Treat them as indicative and confirm with Mashak Tash.
Oleh lone soldiers get a SECOND monthly grant from the Aliyah Ministry that STACKS on the IDF grant. A lone soldier (or lone national-service volunteer) who made aliyah in the 5 years before service is entitled to a grant from משרד העלייה והקליטה equal to 100% of a private's base salary, paid IN ADDITION to the IDF monthly grant above. Ethiopian-origin lone soldiers who immigrated within the prior 10 years get a higher grant of 150%. This is a separate application: contact משרד העלייה והקליטה at one of its service bureaus (hotline 03-9733333). Estranged-track Israeli lone soldiers are not olim and do NOT get this grant.
Step 4: Rent + Utility Assistance During Service
Source quote (kolzchut סיוע בהוצאות דיור): "השתתפות בדמי שכירות והוצאות שונות עבור אחזקת הדירה כגון: מים, גז ועד בית. על החייל להגיש בקשה באמצעות סגל הת"ש ביחידתו"
A recognized lone soldier renting an apartment in Israel during service is entitled to:
| What's covered |
Detail |
| Rent (sechirut) |
Participation in the monthly rental cost |
| Maintenance (achzakat dira) |
Water, gas, building committee (vaad bayit) |
| Application channel |
Mashak Tash of the unit (or the IDF digital welfare system) |
| Required documents |
Signed lease (chozeh schirut), bank account, ID |
Note: this is operationally DIFFERENT from the post-discharge rent assistance in Step 6, both exist, neither replaces the other. Active-duty rent help ends on discharge day; post-discharge rent help starts on discharge day and lasts up to 12 months.
Step 5: Other Active-Duty Benefits
| Benefit |
Detail |
Source |
| Free flights home, "מתגעגעים הביתה" |
Gated on being a lone soldier "מובהק": Kol Zchut conditions the benefit on parents living abroad permanently, having emigrated, or being on shlichut for at least six months. An estrangement-track soldier with family in Israel does not reach it at all. Available after 8 months of service. Non-combat lone soldier: 1 funded flight during service; combat lone soldier (truly boded, parents abroad): 2 funded flights (not in the same year). The funding (Aguda LeMaan HaChayal + FIDF) covers the ticket, port/airport fees, AND medical insurance; the soldier pays only passport + entry visas. Request via Mashak Tash or the prat.idf.il personal portal. |
Pkudat Matkal 35.0808 Appendix A + kolzchut |
| Marriage grant supplement |
A lone soldier who marries during mandatory service is entitled to a special one-time grant ON TOP of the regular IDF marriage grant |
Pkudat Matkal 35.0808 |
| Special leave (chufsha meyuchedet) |
The 30 abroad-visit days presuppose parents abroad, so like the flight they only help a "מובהק" soldier. Up to 60 special-leave days per service year, of which 30 are reserved for visiting parents abroad, also per service year (kolzchut: "לא יעלו על 60 יום בשנת שירות, כאשר 30 מתוכם... ביקור הורים בחו"ל"). The leave is annual, NOT a one-time entitlement, a multi-year boded gets it each service year. What is capped across service is the FUNDED flight (1 for non-combat, 2 for combat, see the flights row), not the leave itself. The first 5 days of each chufsha are deducted from the regular leave bank. |
Pkudat Matkal 35.0808 |
| Beit HaChayal lodging |
Free lodging on weekends, holidays, and extended weekends across the Aguda LeMaan HaChayal Beit HaChayal chain (multiple branches across Israel). Meals + laundry included. Requires lone-soldier certificate + military ID + leave authorization. |
Aguda LeMaan HaChayal |
| Food vouchers / holiday vouchers |
Monthly food vouchers of ₪150/month (redeemable at Shufersal, Kovoret, Yesh Chesed, Yeinot Beitan, Mega, per the IDF benefits page) plus periodic holiday vouchers for Rosh Hashanah and Pesach (the holiday-voucher amount varies year to year, verify the current amount with Mashak Tash). Residents of subsidized "יחד למען החייל" apartments are reported to get a different allotment in place of the standard one; verify with Mashak Tash. |
Aguda LeMaan HaChayal + Garin Tzabar |
Step 5.5: Additional Benefits Many Lone Soldiers Miss
Routinely overlooked entitlements on the Kol Zchut hub: the Aliyah-Ministry second grant (Step 3), psychometric-course funding, a private-work permit, subsidized lone-soldier apartments, boded scholarships (קרן הישג, קרן גרוס) and the כנפיים program. Full table: references/additional-benefits.md.
Step 6: Post-Discharge, 12-Month Rent Assistance via hachvana
Source quote (hachvana SingleSolders/Rent): "עד 1,000 ₪ לחודש לתקופה של עד 12 חודשי שכירות. סיוע בשכר דירה בסכום של עד 12,000 ₪ בשנה הראשונה"
This is the single most valuable post-discharge benefit a lone soldier should claim:
| Aspect |
Detail |
| Amount |
Up to 1,000 NIS per month. If the actual rent is below 1,000 NIS per month, the reimbursement is the amount actually paid, not the cap (hachvana: "אם שכר הדירה שאתם משלמים הוא פחות מ- 1,000 ₪ לחודש, תקבלו החזר בגובה הסכום שאתם משלמים בפועל"). |
| Duration |
Up to 12 months of rent |
| Annual cap |
12,000 NIS in the first year post-discharge |
| Payment structure |
Two installments: first up to 6,000 NIS covers 6 months; second up to 6,000 NIS submitted within 4 months after the first period ends |
| Where to apply |
Personal area at hachvana.mod.gov.il (Extra Benefits > Single Soldiers > Rent) |
| Required documents |
As of the 01.07.2026 process update, the submission is a declaration form (טופס הצהרה) signed by the soldier + landlord; bank details are updated separately in the personal area (the older separate lease-copy + bank-authorization artifacts are no longer the submission documents). Keep the signed lease on hand in case of review. |
| Eligibility |
Must have been formally recognized as a lone soldier (per Step 2) during the service period |
| Window |
First year (12 months) after end of mandatory service. Late applications past the first year are not eligible. |
| Payment timing |
Uploaded declaration is checked within 7 business days (excluding Fridays and holidays); once approved by SMS the money reaches the bank account within 14 business days. If it does not, call the hotline. |
| Terms may change |
hachvana states the benefit terms may be varied by decisions of the Fund for the Absorption of Discharged Soldiers board ("תנאי ההטבה עשויים להשתנות בהתאם להחלטות הנהלת הקרן לקליטת חיילים משוחררים"). Re-check the page before relying on an amount. |
| Hotline |
hachvana *5266 |
This is independent of the active-duty rent assistance, the active-duty one stops on discharge day, this one starts on discharge day.
24-hour lone-soldier hotline: 03-7375200 (Kol Zchut: "מוקד בודדים הפועל 24 שעות ביממה בטלפון 03-7375200").
Step 7: Lone-Soldier Pikadon + Extended 10-Year Window
The Pikadon a lone soldier accrues during service follows the SAME per-month amounts and the SAME 6 permitted purposes as the regular discharged-soldier stack, there is no separate "Pikadon Mugdal" with higher monthly accrual (a common misconception). Lone soldiers get the same per-tier amounts (lochem / tomech lechima / acher / SLE), these are covered in israeli-discharged-soldier-navigator.
Critical, and easy to get backwards: the 10-year window covers the §7 / §7א BENEFITS, not the Pikadon. Per the official hachvana (MoD) law page, a recognized lone discharged soldier (and an active reservist) receives the section 7 and 7א benefits for 10 years instead of 5. The restricted-purpose Pikadon window is 5 years for everyone, lone soldier included: after year 5 the unused balance is released with no purpose restriction. But there IS still an outer deadline, and the skill must not imply otherwise: the same hachvana page states the realization window for the personal Pikadon was extended from 7 to 10 years from discharge, for ALL soldiers discharged after 12.7.2007 ("הוארכה הזכאות למימוש הפיקדון האישי מ-7 ל-10 שנים מיום השחרור, לכלל החיילים המשוחררים שהשתחררו לאחר 12.7.2007"). That 10-year figure is universal and is NOT the lone-soldier benefit; the lone-soldier-specific extension is the §7 / §7א window below.
| Window |
Regular discharged soldier |
Lone soldier |
| Pikadon restricted to the 6 permitted purposes |
0-5 years post-discharge |
0-5 years post-discharge (the same) |
| Pikadon unrestricted (no purpose restriction) |
After year 5 |
After year 5 (the same) |
| Outer deadline to realize the Pikadon at all |
10 years from discharge (7 if discharged before 12.7.2007) |
10 years (the same, not a boded benefit) |
| Section 7 / 7א benefits: academic counseling, tuition assistance, scholarships, mentorship |
5 years |
10 years |
| Hachvana career programs |
5 years |
10 years |
Source quote (hachvana, MoD): "משך הזכאות של חייל משוחרר להטבות הקבועות בחוק הינה עד 5 שנים... (ועד 10 שנים לבודדים משוחררים ומשרתי מילואים פעילים). חיילים בודדים משוחררים ומשרתי מילואים פעילים יהיו זכאים לקבלת ההטבות בסעיף 7 לחוק ו-7א לחוק כמפורט בסעיף 1, לתקופה של 10 שנים"
Source: hachvana.mod.gov.il/odot/Pages/hakdamalachock.aspx (Chok Klitat Chayalim Meshuchrarim, §7 / §7א per §1)
The six permitted purposes during the restricted window (studies, vocational training, marriage, starting a business, driving lessons, apartment purchase, NOT rental) are the same as for any discharged soldier.
For the full Pikadon mechanics (per-tier amounts, the tax treatment, withdrawal flow), route the user to israeli-discharged-soldier-navigator. This skill ONLY documents the lone-soldier-specific layer: the doubled section 7 / 7א window. The Pikadon windows are the same as for anyone else.
Step 8: Diaspora and Israeli NGO Support
Nefesh B'Nefesh + FIDF, Garin Tzabar, the Lone Soldier Center in Memory of Michael Levin and the Mahal program operate independently of the IDF and MoD. They fill gaps the official package does not cover: furnished apartments for olim, holiday hosting, emergency grants, equipment and career mentorship. Route every lone soldier to them ALONGSIDE the official applications, not instead of them. Mahal alumni are a special case: their post-discharge package differs and they should not assume the hachvana rent benefit applies, see the directory.
Full directory with per-organization programs, eligibility and contact routes: references/diaspora-orgs-directory.md.
Step 8.5: Operational Gotchas, Pre-Discharge Interview, Arnona, Electricity, Bank Account
These items are missing from many lone-soldier checklists but materially affect benefit claims:
| Item |
Detail |
| Pre-discharge HKK interview |
Every recognized lone soldier should attend the pre-discharge interview with HKK / Mashak Tash, ideally a couple of months before discharge. Treat the exact lead time as unverified, ask the unit. Its practical value is that it is where the post-discharge benefits, including the 12-month rent window, get explained. |
| Arnona relief |
Kol Zchut lists an arnona exemption as an ACTIVE-DUTY lone-soldier benefit. No source says it continues after discharge, so check with the municipality rather than promising continuity. |
| Electricity discount |
Listed by Kol Zchut as a separate benefit, not part of the Mashak Tash housing participation. Route to Mashak Tash for the application; do not assert a post-discharge continuation. |
| Israeli bank account (blocker for olim) |
The monthly grant, rent assistance, and Pikadon withdrawals all pay only to an Israeli bank account in the soldier's name. NBN + FIDF walk olim through bank opening, surface this BEFORE the soldier expects a deposit. |
| Re-recognition during reserve duty |
A boded who continues to qualify (parents still abroad / deceased) keeps lone-soldier protections during miluim under Pkudat 35.0808 sections that survive discharge. Cross-reference israeli-miluim-manager. |
| Ezrach Karov (designated next-of-kin) |
Estranged-track bodedim can nominate an Israeli adult as a designated next-of-kin / emergency contact for the IDF. Unlocks emergency furlough and hospital visiting rights. |
Step 9: Citizenship Track for Oleh Lone Soldiers
An oleh under Chok HaShvut (Law of Return, 5710-1950) has the right of return; the citizenship itself is granted under Chok HaEzrachut (Law of Citizenship, 5712-1952). Both statutes apply automatically on aliyah for eligible olim, service in the IDF does NOT alter citizenship status. The Misrad HaKlita absorption package (sal klita) operates in parallel with IDF service:
| Question |
Answer |
| Do I need to be a citizen to enlist as a lone soldier? |
Olim are typically citizens at enlistment via Chok HaShvut. Non-citizen volunteers go through the Mahal program. |
| Does the sal klita continue during service? |
Yes, Misrad HaKlita benefits run on their own timeline; check with NBN for current rules |
| Can I claim discharge / post-discharge benefits if I return abroad? |
Yes, inside their own windows (rent assistance: the first year; Pikadon and the section 7 / 7א benefits: see Step 7). Some require an Israeli bank account. Coordinate via NBN. |
For full aliyah / Misrad HaKlita rules, route to israeli-bituach-leumi (general benefits) and future aliyah-specific skills. This skill ONLY surfaces the lone-soldier-specific intersections.
Step 10: Required Documents Checklist
Per-benefit document lists are in references/documents-checklist.md. Every application needs the lone-soldier recognition certificate, so tell the user to keep several copies.
Examples
Example 1: Oleh chayalet bodedet just discharged, parents in the US
User says: "I just finished my service as a chayalet bodedet, parents still in the US. What do I get on top of the regular Pikadon, and how do I claim the extra rent for my first year out?"
Actions:
- Confirm she had formal lone-soldier recognition throughout service (required for ANY post-discharge boded benefit).
- Active-duty layer ended on discharge day; the active-duty rent / grant / flights no longer apply.
- Post-discharge layer she should claim:
- Rent assistance up to 1,000 NIS/month × 12 months = up to 12,000 NIS in year 1. Apply via personal area at hachvana.mod.gov.il > Extra Benefits > Rent.
- First installment up to 6,000 NIS covers 6 months. Document (per the 01.07.2026 process): a declaration form signed by soldier + landlord; bank details are updated separately in the personal area.
- Route to
israeli-discharged-soldier-navigator for the regular base discharged-soldier stack (Pikadon by service tier, manak shichrur, nekudot zikui Section 39a).
- Route to Nefesh B'Nefesh / Lone Soldier Center for community + transition support, they help with first apartment, furniture, career mentorship beyond what hachvana covers.
- Note 12-month window: do NOT delay the rent application past year 1.
Example 2: Israeli parent estranged from soldier child
User says: "My daughter is formally recognized as bodedet (we have not been in contact for 3 years). What happens when she finishes the army?"
Actions:
- Active-duty benefits continue until discharge: monthly grant (100% of private base salary), rent + utilities, flights (if Appendix A criteria met).
- Post-discharge: the same 12,000 NIS rent assistance (Step 6) applies to her regardless of being olah or estranged Israeli. Estrangement-track lone soldiers get the same post-discharge package.
- She gets the regular discharged-soldier stack (Pikadon, manak shichrur, nekudot zikui), route to
israeli-discharged-soldier-navigator.
- NGOs that help estrangement-track lone soldiers specifically: Lone Soldier Center in Memory of Michael Levin (community + emergency assistance), some FIDF programs.
Example 4: Active-service lone soldier wants to use the IDF flight benefit
User says: "I'm a lone soldier 14 months into service, planning a trip home to my parents, how do I use the IDF flight benefit?"
Actions:
- Reference IDF Order 35.0808 Appendix A for the flight policy.
- Practical flow: coordinate with the unit's Mashak Tash 30+ days before the planned travel dates. Flights subject to availability.
- Documents: travel dates, family invitation or proof of residence abroad, valid passport.
- Note: this funds a normal commercial ticket (Kol Zchut: the funding covers the ticket cost, port taxes and medical insurance; the soldier pays passport and entry visas). It is requested through Mashak Tash, it is not a military flight. NGOs (FIDF, NBN) sometimes offer additional flight grants on top.
Example 5: New oleh planning to enlist as lone soldier
User says: "I'm an oleh making aliyah next month, planning to enlist. What's the lone-soldier financial package vs regular service?"
Actions:
- Pre-aliyah: register with Nefesh B'Nefesh, they run a Lone Soldier Program with FIDF that pre-arranges housing, paperwork, mentorship.
- Citizenship: automatic under Chok HaShvut on aliyah. No need to enlist to receive citizenship.
- At enlistment: submit Aka recognition application (Bakshat Hakara b'Bededut), Step 2. Recognition unlocks the financial layer.
- Active-duty layer once recognized:
- Monthly grant: 100% of private base salary on top of regular salary.
- Rent + utilities subsidy if living off-base.
- Free flights home per Pkudat 35.0808 Appendix A.
- Marriage grant supplement if marrying during service.
- Post-discharge layer (assuming successful service):
- 12,000 NIS rent assistance first year.
- Regular discharged-soldier Pikadon + nekudot zikui + Mimadim tuition.
- Compare to a non-boded oleh soldier: the difference is mainly the monthly grant doubling and the rent + flight benefits, significant for someone supporting themselves.
Recommended MCP Servers
No public MCP server exists for hachvana.mod.gov.il or IDF systems. Aka recognition and benefit applications go through the user's authenticated personal area or via the Mashak Tash of their unit.
Reference Links
Gotchas
- Apply the moment you are eligible: no source publishes a backdating rule. Neither Kol Zchut nor hachvana says whether the active-duty rent participation or the Aliyah-Ministry grant can be backdated, or only runs forward from approval. Do not answer either way. Say the safe version: every month of delay may be unrecoverable, so file with Mashak Tash (rent) and the Aliyah Ministry (olim grant) as soon as the entitlement exists. The one published deadline is the post-discharge rent benefit, first year only.
- The flight cap caps ONE program, not all travel abroad. The 1-or-2 funded flights are the מתגעגעים הביתה entitlement. A soldier who has used them and then faces a parent's death or critical illness abroad goes straight to Mashak Tash and the Aguda, and must not be told nothing remains. Emergency travel sits outside this program and this skill does not document it.
- Recognition (Aka acknowledgment) is the gate for EVERY benefit on this skill. No formal recognition = no grant, no rent, no flights, no post-discharge rent. If a soldier "lives like a boded" (alone, far from family) but never filed Bakshat Hakara b'Bededut, they get nothing on the lone-soldier package. Verify recognition status before computing entitlements.
- There is NO "Pikadon Mugdal" specific to lone soldiers. They accrue the same per-tier monthly amounts as everyone else (see
israeli-discharged-soldier-navigator for current figures, do not hardcode them here). What IS lone-soldier-specific is the 10-year (vs 5) window for the section 7 / 7א study and career benefits, per Step 7.
- Do not hardcode the hachvana login method. The personal area sign-in at hachvana.mod.gov.il has changed more than once and the current page does not document it. Send the user to the site's own sign-in screen and follow whatever it offers rather than asserting a method.
- The 12-month post-discharge rent assistance is "first year", it does not carry over. If the user does not apply within the 12 months following discharge, the benefit is lost. Set an explicit reminder for olim returning to family abroad temporarily.
- The monthly grant during service = 100% of a PRIVATE'S base salary, NOT 100% of the soldier's actual salary. A combat lone soldier still earns the combat tier rate + the private-scale boded grant on top. The grant is fixed to the turai scale, not the soldier's rank or service tier.
- Estrangement-track Israeli lone soldiers get the SAME IDF / hachvana benefits as olim lone soldiers, but NOT the diaspora / aliyah-side ones. The IDF financial package (monthly grant, rent, flights, post-discharge rent) is identical whatever the recognition track. What differs: no sal klita and no Aliyah-Ministry grant (they are not olim); NBN serves olim primarily and routes estranged Israelis to the Lone Soldier Center or Aguda; the abroad-flight allotment is moot when the family is in Israel.
- Mahal is NOT the boded oleh track. Mahal soldiers are non-Israeli volunteers serving without making aliyah; service length and placement differ. Don't conflate them.
- For everything in the regular discharged-soldier package, route to israeli-discharged-soldier-navigator. Pikadon by service tier, manak shichrur, nekudot zikui Section 39a, the Iron Swords Mimadim tuition track, that's the OTHER skill. This skill ONLY adds the supplemental lone-soldier layer on top.
Bundled Resources
Scripts
scripts/post-discharge-rent-estimator.py, Estimate the post-discharge rent assistance under the 12,000 NIS / 12-month cap. Run: python scripts/post-discharge-rent-estimator.py --discharge-date 2026-03-15 --rent-start 2026-04-01 --rent-monthly 5000 --rent-months 12. Pass --rent-months from the lease; without it the output is an upper bound, not an entitlement.
References
references/domain-checklist.md, Canonical coverage list for future update runs.references/recognition-process.md, The Aka recognition flow: forms per phase, documents per track, social-worker assessment, appeal.references/diaspora-orgs-directory.md, The major diaspora and Israeli NGOs: NBN, FIDF, Garin Tzabar, Lone Soldier Center, Mahal.references/additional-benefits.md, The easily-missed named entitlements from the Kol Zchut hub (Step 5.5).references/documents-checklist.md, Required documents per benefit (Step 10).
Troubleshooting
Error: "Post-discharge rent application rejected, 'no recognition record'"
Cause: The soldier was not formally recognized as a chayal boded during active service. Living-alone status alone does not qualify; formal Aka recognition via Bakshat Hakara b'Bededut is required.
Solution: If still within a reasonable post-discharge window, contact the unit's Mashak Tash to request retroactive recognition documentation if the recognition WAS submitted but is missing from records. If recognition was never submitted, the post-discharge benefits cannot be claimed.
Error: "Discharged 14 months ago, missed the rent application"
Cause: The 12-month post-discharge rent assistance window has closed.
Solution: That specific benefit is gone, no extension exists. The user should focus on the still-available Pikadon (see Step 7 for the windows, and israeli-discharged-soldier-navigator for the mechanics), nekudot zikui retroactive via Tofes 135 (6-year window), and any NGO programs (Lone Soldier Center, FIDF) that may help.
Error: "Active-duty rent benefit denied because parents recently moved to Israel"
Cause: Eligibility revoked when the parental-support condition changed mid-service. If parents moved to Israel, the soldier is no longer a chayal boded.
Solution: Status review, if the move is temporary or the soldier has no actual family support, the case can be re-presented to Mashak Tash. Otherwise the benefits stop from the date of status change.
Error: "Trying to log in to hachvana personal area, the login method I was told to use is not accepted"
Cause: the sign-in method for the MoD personal area has changed more than once and is not documented on the benefit page.
Solution: open the sign-in screen at hachvana.mod.gov.il and use whichever method it currently offers. Do not rely on a method quoted from older documentation. If sign-in still fails, call *5266.
Error: "Aka recognition request rejected despite living alone in Israel"
Cause: Without documented parental absence / death / estrangement, "living alone" is not enough.
Solution: Appeal via the unit's Mashak Tash + IDF Welfare Officer with additional documentation (foreign address proof, estrangement social worker letter). For olim, attach Teudat Oleh + family information showing parents abroad.
1---2name: israeli-lone-soldier-rights3description: Map the chayal boded (lone soldier) benefits package for IDF mandatory-service soldiers, distinct from the regular discharged-soldier stack. Active-duty: monthly grant equal to 100 percent of a private base salary, rent + utilities via Mashak Tash, free flights home per IDF Order 35.0808 Appendix A, 60 special-leave days per year (30 abroad), Beit HaChayal free weekend lodging. Post-discharge: up to 1,000 NIS per month for 12 months of rent (cap 12,000 NIS), 10-year extended benefits window for academic and career programs (vs 5y regular), citizenship guidance under Chok HaShvut for olim. Use when an oleh, estranged Israeli soldier, parent, Garin Tzabar alumnus, or new immigrant planning enlistment asks about chayal boded rights, recognition (Form 7304 / Form 62), monthly grant, rent assistance, Beit HaChayal, or post-discharge benefits. Do NOT use for the regular Pikadon stack (israeli-discharged-soldier-navigator), general aliyah, miluim, or scholarships.4license: MIT5---67# Israeli Lone Soldier Rights89## Legal notice1011This is a free information tool operated by an AI model. It helps you organise and complete forms for government authorities. All of its outputs are produced automatically by an AI model, with no involvement, review, or approval by an advocate, tax adviser, or accountant. The output is not legal, tax, or other professional advice. An AI model may err, omit data, or present a wrong conclusion.1213A form submitted to an authority is a document whose contents are your responsibility, and incorrect details in it can carry liability. Check every field before filing, and do not file a form whose contents you do not understand. This tool is not a substitute for advice that takes account of the particular circumstances and needs of each person, and all use of its output is the user's sole responsibility.141516## Problem1718A lone soldier (chayal boded), an oleh without family in Israel or an Israeli whose parents are abroad, deceased or formally estranged, gets a supplemental benefits package on top of regular service compensation: a monthly grant equal to 100% of a private's base salary, rent + utility assistance during service, free flights home, and up to ₪12,000 of rent assistance in the first year after discharge. But the rules are split across IDF Chief of Staff Order 35.0808 (not user-facing), the hachvana.mod.gov.il extra-benefits page, kolzchut, and diaspora-org programs (Nefesh B'Nefesh, FIDF, Garin Tzabar, Lone Soldier Center in Memory of Michael Levin). Many lone soldiers (and their parents abroad) don't realize they need formal Aka recognition before any of this kicks in, miss the post-discharge rent application within the 12-month window, or assume one benefit replaces another when in fact they stack. This skill maps the recognition flow, the active-duty benefits, the post-discharge supplements (which are distinct from the regular discharged-soldier package), and the diaspora-org routing.1920## Instructions2122### Step 1: Who Qualifies as a Lone Soldier (Chayal Boded)2324> Source quote (kolzchut): "חייל בודד הוא חייל בשירות חובה שאין לו בארץ תמיכה הורית במהלך שירותו הצבאי"2526Three recognized categories:2728| Category | Definition |29|---|---|30| Oleh chadash without family in Israel | Immigrated under Chok HaShvut, parents/immediate family remain abroad |31| Israeli with parents abroad or deceased | Both parents passed away OR both formally living abroad |32| Israeli formally estranged from parents | Documented breakdown of parent-child relationship, requires social worker assessment |3334The governing IDF order is **Pkudat Matkal 35.0808** ("חיילים בודדים, עקרונות, זכויות ונהלים, שירות חובה"). Published in multiple languages on the IDF website.3536### Step 2: Recognition Process3738> Source quote (kolzchut): "כדי להיות מוכר כחייל בודד, יש להגיש בקשה ללשכת הגיוס האזורית"3940**Two different forms, one per phase, do not swap them.** Kol Zchut: a pre-enlistment candidate raises boded status at the initial Lishkat HaGiyus interview and then, at the Rakezet Tash's initiative, **fills Form 7304** ("לאחר מכן, וביוזמת רכזת הת\"ש, עליו למלא טופס 7304"). A soldier ALREADY serving fills **Form 62** in two copies before an officer or Mashak Tash in the unit ("ימלא 'שאלון הכרה לחייל בודד' (טופס 62) ב-2 העתקים"). Form 7304 is not internal-only; a pre-enlistment candidate should expect to fill it.4142| Phase | What to do | Where |43|---|---|---|44| Pre-enlistment (Lishkat HaGiyus interview) | Raise lone-soldier status at the initial interview, then fill **Form 7304** at the Rakezet Tash's initiative. She forwards it to the office HQ for approval, exceptional cases go to the recognition committee at Maktzar. Approval is mailed home, and the boded certificate is issued on enlistment day. | Regional recruitment office (lishkat hagiyus haezorit) |45| Already in service | Submit **Form 62** (שאלון הכרה לחייל בודד) in two copies | Unit officer or Mashak Tash |4647| Step | Detail |48|---|---|49| 1 | Submit the appropriate form per above |50| 2 | Required documents depend on track: oleh = Teudat Oleh + family documentation showing parents abroad; estranged Israeli = social worker assessment; orphan = parental death certificates |51| 3 | Decision via the recruitment-office HQ, or the Maktzar committee in exceptional cases. No processing time is published; ask the Rakezet Tash. |52| 4 | If rejected: appeal back through Mashak Tash; the appeals committee decision is final unless circumstances change materially |53| 5 | Hotlines: IDF general line and Soldiers' Ombudsman (numbers on the IDF site), NBN+FIDF 24/7 |5455**Recognition triggers everything.** No benefit on the list below applies until the soldier is officially recognized. Without recognition, even an oleh living alone in Israel gets only the standard private's salary.5657### Step 3: Active-Duty Monthly Grant5859> Source quote (kolzchut מענק חודשי): "מענק חודשי קבוע, ששיעורו 100% משכר היסוד של טוראי בשירות חובה. המענק החודשי ישולם יחד עם תשלום שכר החובה"6061The recognized lone soldier receives a **fixed monthly grant equal to 100% of the base salary of a private (turai) in mandatory service**, paid together with the regular salary payment. The base salary is paid as usual and the grant is added on top.6263The grant accrues automatically upon recognition, no separate application needed each month. The base monthly boded grant is fixed at 100% of the private's base salary regardless of the soldier's actual rank or service-tier. Kol Zchut publishes the mechanic (100% of a private's base salary) with **no NIS figure**; the IDF benefits page separately publishes **₪601.2/month**. No source equates the two, so do not present them as the same amount. Give the mechanic and have the user confirm the figure with Mashak Tash.6465**Important: combat and combat-support lone soldiers get an ADDITIONAL boded-specific supplement on top of the base monthly grant.** Per the official IDF lone-soldier economic-benefits page: combat lone soldiers at level א'+ (lochem) get **₪467.2/month** extra; combat-support at level א' (tomech lechima) get **₪233.7/month** extra. These boded-only uplifts STACK on the universal combat/tomech differentials every soldier gets. **All three shekel figures come from the IDF benefits page, which does not render outside a real browser session, so we cannot re-verify them each cycle.** Treat them as indicative and confirm with Mashak Tash.6667**Oleh lone soldiers get a SECOND monthly grant from the Aliyah Ministry that STACKS on the IDF grant.** A lone soldier (or lone national-service volunteer) who made aliyah in the 5 years before service is entitled to a grant from משרד העלייה והקליטה equal to **100% of a private's base salary**, paid IN ADDITION to the IDF monthly grant above. Ethiopian-origin lone soldiers who immigrated within the prior 10 years get a higher grant of **150%**. This is a separate application: contact משרד העלייה והקליטה at one of its service bureaus (hotline 03-9733333). Estranged-track Israeli lone soldiers are not olim and do NOT get this grant.6869### Step 4: Rent + Utility Assistance During Service7071> Source quote (kolzchut סיוע בהוצאות דיור): "השתתפות בדמי שכירות והוצאות שונות עבור אחזקת הדירה כגון: מים, גז ועד בית. על החייל להגיש בקשה באמצעות סגל הת\"ש ביחידתו"7273A recognized lone soldier renting an apartment in Israel during service is entitled to:7475| What's covered | Detail |76|---|---|77| Rent (sechirut) | Participation in the monthly rental cost |78| Maintenance (achzakat dira) | Water, gas, building committee (vaad bayit) |79| Application channel | Mashak Tash of the unit (or the IDF digital welfare system) |80| Required documents | Signed lease (chozeh schirut), bank account, ID |8182Note: this is operationally DIFFERENT from the post-discharge rent assistance in Step 6, both exist, neither replaces the other. Active-duty rent help ends on discharge day; post-discharge rent help starts on discharge day and lasts up to 12 months.8384### Step 5: Other Active-Duty Benefits8586| Benefit | Detail | Source |87|---|---|---|88| Free flights home, "מתגעגעים הביתה" | **Gated on being a lone soldier "מובהק"**: Kol Zchut conditions the benefit on parents living abroad permanently, having emigrated, or being on shlichut for at least six months. An estrangement-track soldier with family in Israel does not reach it at all. Available after **8 months** of service. Non-combat lone soldier: **1 funded flight** during service; combat lone soldier (truly boded, parents abroad): **2 funded flights** (not in the same year). The funding (Aguda LeMaan HaChayal + FIDF) **covers the ticket, port/airport fees, AND medical insurance**; the soldier pays only passport + entry visas. Request via Mashak Tash or the `prat.idf.il` personal portal. | Pkudat Matkal 35.0808 Appendix A + kolzchut |89| Marriage grant supplement | A lone soldier who marries during mandatory service is entitled to a special one-time grant ON TOP of the regular IDF marriage grant | Pkudat Matkal 35.0808 |90| Special leave (chufsha meyuchedet) | The 30 abroad-visit days presuppose parents abroad, so like the flight they only help a "מובהק" soldier. Up to **60 special-leave days per service year**, of which **30 are reserved for visiting parents abroad, also per service year** (kolzchut: "לא יעלו על 60 יום בשנת שירות, כאשר 30 מתוכם... ביקור הורים בחו\"ל"). The leave is annual, NOT a one-time entitlement, a multi-year boded gets it each service year. What is capped across service is the FUNDED flight (1 for non-combat, 2 for combat, see the flights row), not the leave itself. The first 5 days of each chufsha are deducted from the regular leave bank. | Pkudat Matkal 35.0808 |91| Beit HaChayal lodging | Free lodging on weekends, holidays, and extended weekends across the Aguda LeMaan HaChayal Beit HaChayal chain (multiple branches across Israel). Meals + laundry included. Requires lone-soldier certificate + military ID + leave authorization. | Aguda LeMaan HaChayal |92| Food vouchers / holiday vouchers | Monthly food vouchers of **₪150/month** (redeemable at Shufersal, Kovoret, Yesh Chesed, Yeinot Beitan, Mega, per the IDF benefits page) plus periodic holiday vouchers for Rosh Hashanah and Pesach (the holiday-voucher amount varies year to year, verify the current amount with Mashak Tash). Residents of subsidized "יחד למען החייל" apartments are reported to get a different allotment in place of the standard one; verify with Mashak Tash. | Aguda LeMaan HaChayal + Garin Tzabar |9394### Step 5.5: Additional Benefits Many Lone Soldiers Miss9596Routinely overlooked entitlements on the Kol Zchut hub: the Aliyah-Ministry second grant (Step 3), psychometric-course funding, a private-work permit, subsidized lone-soldier apartments, boded scholarships (קרן הישג, קרן גרוס) and the כנפיים program. Full table: `references/additional-benefits.md`.9798### Step 6: Post-Discharge, 12-Month Rent Assistance via hachvana99100> Source quote (hachvana SingleSolders/Rent): "עד 1,000 ₪ לחודש לתקופה של עד 12 חודשי שכירות. סיוע בשכר דירה בסכום של עד 12,000 ₪ בשנה הראשונה"101102This is the single most valuable post-discharge benefit a lone soldier should claim:103104| Aspect | Detail |105|---|---|106| Amount | Up to 1,000 NIS per month. **If the actual rent is below 1,000 NIS per month, the reimbursement is the amount actually paid, not the cap** (hachvana: "אם שכר הדירה שאתם משלמים הוא פחות מ- 1,000 ₪ לחודש, תקבלו החזר בגובה הסכום שאתם משלמים בפועל"). |107| Duration | Up to 12 months of rent |108| Annual cap | 12,000 NIS in the first year post-discharge |109| Payment structure | Two installments: first up to 6,000 NIS covers 6 months; second up to 6,000 NIS submitted within 4 months after the first period ends |110| Where to apply | Personal area at hachvana.mod.gov.il (Extra Benefits > Single Soldiers > Rent) |111| Required documents | As of the **01.07.2026 process update**, the submission is a **declaration form (טופס הצהרה)** signed by the soldier + landlord; bank details are updated separately in the personal area (the older separate lease-copy + bank-authorization artifacts are no longer the submission documents). Keep the signed lease on hand in case of review. |112| Eligibility | Must have been formally recognized as a lone soldier (per Step 2) during the service period |113| Window | First year (12 months) after end of mandatory service. Late applications past the first year are not eligible. |114| Payment timing | Uploaded declaration is checked within **7 business days** (excluding Fridays and holidays); once approved by SMS the money reaches the bank account within **14 business days**. If it does not, call the hotline. |115| Terms may change | hachvana states the benefit terms may be varied by decisions of the Fund for the Absorption of Discharged Soldiers board ("תנאי ההטבה עשויים להשתנות בהתאם להחלטות הנהלת הקרן לקליטת חיילים משוחררים"). Re-check the page before relying on an amount. |116| Hotline | hachvana `*5266` |117118This is independent of the active-duty rent assistance, the active-duty one stops on discharge day, this one starts on discharge day.119120**24-hour lone-soldier hotline: `03-7375200`** (Kol Zchut: "מוקד בודדים הפועל 24 שעות ביממה בטלפון 03-7375200").121122### Step 7: Lone-Soldier Pikadon + Extended 10-Year Window123124The Pikadon a lone soldier accrues during service follows the SAME per-month amounts and the SAME 6 permitted purposes as the regular discharged-soldier stack, there is no separate "Pikadon Mugdal" with higher monthly accrual (a common misconception). Lone soldiers get the same per-tier amounts (lochem / tomech lechima / acher / SLE), these are covered in `israeli-discharged-soldier-navigator`.125126**Critical, and easy to get backwards: the 10-year window covers the §7 / §7א BENEFITS, not the Pikadon.** Per the official hachvana (MoD) law page, a recognized lone discharged soldier (and an active reservist) receives the section 7 and 7א benefits for 10 years instead of 5. The **restricted-purpose Pikadon window is 5 years for everyone, lone soldier included**: after year 5 the unused balance is released with no purpose restriction. But there IS still an outer deadline, and the skill must not imply otherwise: the same hachvana page states the realization window for the personal Pikadon was extended from 7 to **10 years from discharge, for ALL soldiers discharged after 12.7.2007** ("הוארכה הזכאות למימוש הפיקדון האישי מ-7 ל-10 שנים מיום השחרור, לכלל החיילים המשוחררים שהשתחררו לאחר 12.7.2007"). That 10-year figure is universal and is NOT the lone-soldier benefit; the lone-soldier-specific extension is the §7 / §7א window below.127128| Window | Regular discharged soldier | Lone soldier |129|---|---|---|130| Pikadon restricted to the 6 permitted purposes | 0-5 years post-discharge | 0-5 years post-discharge (**the same**) |131| Pikadon unrestricted (no purpose restriction) | After year 5 | After year 5 (**the same**) |132| Outer deadline to realize the Pikadon at all | 10 years from discharge (7 if discharged before 12.7.2007) | 10 years (**the same, not a boded benefit**) |133| Section 7 / 7א benefits: academic counseling, tuition assistance, scholarships, mentorship | 5 years | **10 years** |134| Hachvana career programs | 5 years | **10 years** |135136> Source quote (hachvana, MoD): "משך הזכאות של חייל משוחרר להטבות הקבועות בחוק הינה עד 5 שנים... (ועד 10 שנים לבודדים משוחררים ומשרתי מילואים פעילים). חיילים בודדים משוחררים ומשרתי מילואים פעילים יהיו זכאים לקבלת ההטבות בסעיף 7 לחוק ו-7א לחוק כמפורט בסעיף 1, לתקופה של 10 שנים"137138> Source: hachvana.mod.gov.il/odot/Pages/hakdamalachock.aspx (Chok Klitat Chayalim Meshuchrarim, §7 / §7א per §1)139140The six permitted purposes during the restricted window (studies, vocational training, marriage, starting a business, driving lessons, apartment purchase, NOT rental) are the same as for any discharged soldier.141142For the full Pikadon mechanics (per-tier amounts, the tax treatment, withdrawal flow), route the user to `israeli-discharged-soldier-navigator`. This skill ONLY documents the lone-soldier-specific layer: the doubled section 7 / 7א window. The Pikadon windows are the same as for anyone else.143144### Step 8: Diaspora and Israeli NGO Support145146Nefesh B'Nefesh + FIDF, Garin Tzabar, the Lone Soldier Center in Memory of Michael Levin and the Mahal program operate independently of the IDF and MoD. They fill gaps the official package does not cover: furnished apartments for olim, holiday hosting, emergency grants, equipment and career mentorship. Route every lone soldier to them ALONGSIDE the official applications, not instead of them. **Mahal alumni are a special case: their post-discharge package differs and they should not assume the hachvana rent benefit applies, see the directory.**147148Full directory with per-organization programs, eligibility and contact routes: `references/diaspora-orgs-directory.md`.149150### Step 8.5: Operational Gotchas, Pre-Discharge Interview, Arnona, Electricity, Bank Account151152These items are missing from many lone-soldier checklists but materially affect benefit claims:153154| Item | Detail |155|---|---|156| **Pre-discharge HKK interview** | Every recognized lone soldier should attend the pre-discharge interview with HKK / Mashak Tash, ideally a couple of months before discharge. Treat the exact lead time as unverified, ask the unit. Its practical value is that it is where the post-discharge benefits, including the 12-month rent window, get explained. |157| **Arnona relief** | Kol Zchut lists an arnona exemption as an ACTIVE-DUTY lone-soldier benefit. No source says it continues after discharge, so check with the municipality rather than promising continuity. |158| **Electricity discount** | Listed by Kol Zchut as a separate benefit, not part of the Mashak Tash housing participation. Route to Mashak Tash for the application; do not assert a post-discharge continuation. |159| **Israeli bank account (blocker for olim)** | The monthly grant, rent assistance, and Pikadon withdrawals all pay only to an Israeli bank account in the soldier's name. NBN + FIDF walk olim through bank opening, surface this BEFORE the soldier expects a deposit. |160| **Re-recognition during reserve duty** | A boded who continues to qualify (parents still abroad / deceased) keeps lone-soldier protections during miluim under Pkudat 35.0808 sections that survive discharge. Cross-reference `israeli-miluim-manager`. |161| **Ezrach Karov (designated next-of-kin)** | Estranged-track bodedim can nominate an Israeli adult as a designated next-of-kin / emergency contact for the IDF. Unlocks emergency furlough and hospital visiting rights. |162163### Step 9: Citizenship Track for Oleh Lone Soldiers164165An oleh under Chok HaShvut (Law of Return, 5710-1950) has the right of return; the citizenship itself is granted under Chok HaEzrachut (Law of Citizenship, 5712-1952). Both statutes apply automatically on aliyah for eligible olim, service in the IDF does NOT alter citizenship status. The Misrad HaKlita absorption package (sal klita) operates in parallel with IDF service:166167| Question | Answer |168|---|---|169| Do I need to be a citizen to enlist as a lone soldier? | Olim are typically citizens at enlistment via Chok HaShvut. Non-citizen volunteers go through the Mahal program. |170| Does the sal klita continue during service? | Yes, Misrad HaKlita benefits run on their own timeline; check with NBN for current rules |171| Can I claim discharge / post-discharge benefits if I return abroad? | Yes, inside their own windows (rent assistance: the first year; Pikadon and the section 7 / 7א benefits: see Step 7). Some require an Israeli bank account. Coordinate via NBN. |172173For full aliyah / Misrad HaKlita rules, route to `israeli-bituach-leumi` (general benefits) and future aliyah-specific skills. This skill ONLY surfaces the lone-soldier-specific intersections.174175### Step 10: Required Documents Checklist176177Per-benefit document lists are in `references/documents-checklist.md`. Every application needs the lone-soldier recognition certificate, so tell the user to keep several copies.178179## Examples180181### Example 1: Oleh chayalet bodedet just discharged, parents in the US182183User says: "I just finished my service as a chayalet bodedet, parents still in the US. What do I get on top of the regular Pikadon, and how do I claim the extra rent for my first year out?"184185Actions:1861. Confirm she had formal lone-soldier recognition throughout service (required for ANY post-discharge boded benefit).1872. Active-duty layer ended on discharge day; the active-duty rent / grant / flights no longer apply.1883. Post-discharge layer she should claim:189 - Rent assistance up to 1,000 NIS/month × 12 months = up to 12,000 NIS in year 1. Apply via personal area at hachvana.mod.gov.il > Extra Benefits > Rent.190 - First installment up to 6,000 NIS covers 6 months. Document (per the 01.07.2026 process): a declaration form signed by soldier + landlord; bank details are updated separately in the personal area.1914. Route to `israeli-discharged-soldier-navigator` for the regular base discharged-soldier stack (Pikadon by service tier, manak shichrur, nekudot zikui Section 39a).1925. Route to Nefesh B'Nefesh / Lone Soldier Center for community + transition support, they help with first apartment, furniture, career mentorship beyond what hachvana covers.1936. Note 12-month window: do NOT delay the rent application past year 1.194195### Example 2: Israeli parent estranged from soldier child196197User says: "My daughter is formally recognized as bodedet (we have not been in contact for 3 years). What happens when she finishes the army?"198199Actions:2001. Active-duty benefits continue until discharge: monthly grant (100% of private base salary), rent + utilities, flights (if Appendix A criteria met).2012. Post-discharge: the same 12,000 NIS rent assistance (Step 6) applies to her regardless of being olah or estranged Israeli. Estrangement-track lone soldiers get the same post-discharge package.2023. She gets the regular discharged-soldier stack (Pikadon, manak shichrur, nekudot zikui), route to `israeli-discharged-soldier-navigator`.2034. NGOs that help estrangement-track lone soldiers specifically: Lone Soldier Center in Memory of Michael Levin (community + emergency assistance), some FIDF programs.204205### Example 4: Active-service lone soldier wants to use the IDF flight benefit206207User says: "I'm a lone soldier 14 months into service, planning a trip home to my parents, how do I use the IDF flight benefit?"208209Actions:2101. Reference IDF Order 35.0808 Appendix A for the flight policy.2112. Practical flow: coordinate with the unit's Mashak Tash 30+ days before the planned travel dates. Flights subject to availability.2123. Documents: travel dates, family invitation or proof of residence abroad, valid passport.2134. Note: this funds a normal commercial ticket (Kol Zchut: the funding covers the ticket cost, port taxes and medical insurance; the soldier pays passport and entry visas). It is requested through Mashak Tash, it is not a military flight. NGOs (FIDF, NBN) sometimes offer additional flight grants on top.214215### Example 5: New oleh planning to enlist as lone soldier216217User says: "I'm an oleh making aliyah next month, planning to enlist. What's the lone-soldier financial package vs regular service?"218219Actions:2201. Pre-aliyah: register with Nefesh B'Nefesh, they run a Lone Soldier Program with FIDF that pre-arranges housing, paperwork, mentorship.2212. Citizenship: automatic under Chok HaShvut on aliyah. No need to enlist to receive citizenship.2223. At enlistment: submit Aka recognition application (Bakshat Hakara b'Bededut), Step 2. Recognition unlocks the financial layer.2234. Active-duty layer once recognized:224 - Monthly grant: 100% of private base salary on top of regular salary.225 - Rent + utilities subsidy if living off-base.226 - Free flights home per Pkudat 35.0808 Appendix A.227 - Marriage grant supplement if marrying during service.2285. Post-discharge layer (assuming successful service):229 - 12,000 NIS rent assistance first year.230 - Regular discharged-soldier Pikadon + nekudot zikui + Mimadim tuition.2316. Compare to a non-boded oleh soldier: the difference is mainly the monthly grant doubling and the rent + flight benefits, significant for someone supporting themselves.232233## Recommended MCP Servers234235No public MCP server exists for hachvana.mod.gov.il or IDF systems. Aka recognition and benefit applications go through the user's authenticated personal area or via the Mashak Tash of their unit.236237## Reference Links238239| Source | URL | What to check |240|---|---|---|241| Kol Zchut: lone soldier hub | https://www.kolzchut.org.il/he/חייל_בודד | Definition, recognition process, IDF Order 35.0808 reference |242| Kol Zchut: monthly grant | https://www.kolzchut.org.il/he/מענק_חודשי_לחיילים_בודדים | 100% of private base salary mechanic, payment timing |243| Kol Zchut: rent during service | https://www.kolzchut.org.il/he/סיוע_בהוצאות_דיור_לחיילים_בודדים | What rent / utilities are covered, Mashak Tash application |244| Kol Zchut: lone soldier discharged benefits hub | https://www.kolzchut.org.il/he/חיילים_בודדים | Full benefits package summary, post-discharge layer |245| hachvana: lone-soldier post-discharge rent | https://www.hachvana.mod.gov.il/ExtraBenefits/SingleSolders/Pages/Rent.aspx | 12,000 NIS / 12-month cap, two-installment structure |246| Nefesh B'Nefesh + FIDF Lone Soldier Program | https://www.nbn.org.il/nbnlsp/lone-soldier-benefits/ | Diaspora-side benefits, pre-aliyah support |247| Lone Soldier Center in Memory of Michael Levin | https://www.lonesoldiercenter.com/ | Community center programs, emergency assistance |248| Companion skill | israeli-discharged-soldier-navigator | Regular base discharged-soldier stack |249250## Gotchas251252- **Apply the moment you are eligible: no source publishes a backdating rule.** Neither Kol Zchut nor hachvana says whether the active-duty rent participation or the Aliyah-Ministry grant can be backdated, or only runs forward from approval. Do not answer either way. Say the safe version: every month of delay may be unrecoverable, so file with Mashak Tash (rent) and the Aliyah Ministry (olim grant) as soon as the entitlement exists. The one published deadline is the post-discharge rent benefit, first year only.253- **The flight cap caps ONE program, not all travel abroad.** The 1-or-2 funded flights are the מתגעגעים הביתה entitlement. A soldier who has used them and then faces a parent's death or critical illness abroad goes straight to Mashak Tash and the Aguda, and must not be told nothing remains. Emergency travel sits outside this program and this skill does not document it.254- **Recognition (Aka acknowledgment) is the gate for EVERY benefit on this skill.** No formal recognition = no grant, no rent, no flights, no post-discharge rent. If a soldier "lives like a boded" (alone, far from family) but never filed Bakshat Hakara b'Bededut, they get nothing on the lone-soldier package. Verify recognition status before computing entitlements.255- **There is NO "Pikadon Mugdal" specific to lone soldiers.** They accrue the same per-tier monthly amounts as everyone else (see `israeli-discharged-soldier-navigator` for current figures, do not hardcode them here). What IS lone-soldier-specific is the 10-year (vs 5) window for the section 7 / 7א study and career benefits, per Step 7.256- **Do not hardcode the hachvana login method.** The personal area sign-in at hachvana.mod.gov.il has changed more than once and the current page does not document it. Send the user to the site's own sign-in screen and follow whatever it offers rather than asserting a method.257- **The 12-month post-discharge rent assistance is "first year", it does not carry over.** If the user does not apply within the 12 months following discharge, the benefit is lost. Set an explicit reminder for olim returning to family abroad temporarily.258- **The monthly grant during service = 100% of a PRIVATE'S base salary, NOT 100% of the soldier's actual salary.** A combat lone soldier still earns the combat tier rate + the private-scale boded grant on top. The grant is fixed to the turai scale, not the soldier's rank or service tier.259- **Estrangement-track Israeli lone soldiers get the SAME IDF / hachvana benefits as olim lone soldiers, but NOT the diaspora / aliyah-side ones.** The IDF financial package (monthly grant, rent, flights, post-discharge rent) is identical whatever the recognition track. What differs: no sal klita and no Aliyah-Ministry grant (they are not olim); NBN serves olim primarily and routes estranged Israelis to the Lone Soldier Center or Aguda; the abroad-flight allotment is moot when the family is in Israel.260- **Mahal is NOT the boded oleh track.** Mahal soldiers are non-Israeli volunteers serving without making aliyah; service length and placement differ. Don't conflate them.261- **For everything in the regular discharged-soldier package, route to israeli-discharged-soldier-navigator.** Pikadon by service tier, manak shichrur, nekudot zikui Section 39a, the Iron Swords Mimadim tuition track, that's the OTHER skill. This skill ONLY adds the supplemental lone-soldier layer on top.262263## Bundled Resources264265### Scripts266267- `scripts/post-discharge-rent-estimator.py`, Estimate the post-discharge rent assistance under the 12,000 NIS / 12-month cap. Run: `python scripts/post-discharge-rent-estimator.py --discharge-date 2026-03-15 --rent-start 2026-04-01 --rent-monthly 5000 --rent-months 12`. Pass `--rent-months` from the lease; without it the output is an upper bound, not an entitlement.268269### References270271- `references/domain-checklist.md`, Canonical coverage list for future update runs.272- `references/recognition-process.md`, The Aka recognition flow: forms per phase, documents per track, social-worker assessment, appeal.273- `references/diaspora-orgs-directory.md`, The major diaspora and Israeli NGOs: NBN, FIDF, Garin Tzabar, Lone Soldier Center, Mahal.274- `references/additional-benefits.md`, The easily-missed named entitlements from the Kol Zchut hub (Step 5.5).275- `references/documents-checklist.md`, Required documents per benefit (Step 10).276277## Troubleshooting278279### Error: "Post-discharge rent application rejected, 'no recognition record'"280Cause: The soldier was not formally recognized as a chayal boded during active service. Living-alone status alone does not qualify; formal Aka recognition via Bakshat Hakara b'Bededut is required.281Solution: If still within a reasonable post-discharge window, contact the unit's Mashak Tash to request retroactive recognition documentation if the recognition WAS submitted but is missing from records. If recognition was never submitted, the post-discharge benefits cannot be claimed.282283### Error: "Discharged 14 months ago, missed the rent application"284Cause: The 12-month post-discharge rent assistance window has closed.285Solution: That specific benefit is gone, no extension exists. The user should focus on the still-available Pikadon (see Step 7 for the windows, and `israeli-discharged-soldier-navigator` for the mechanics), nekudot zikui retroactive via Tofes 135 (6-year window), and any NGO programs (Lone Soldier Center, FIDF) that may help.286287### Error: "Active-duty rent benefit denied because parents recently moved to Israel"288Cause: Eligibility revoked when the parental-support condition changed mid-service. If parents moved to Israel, the soldier is no longer a chayal boded.289Solution: Status review, if the move is temporary or the soldier has no actual family support, the case can be re-presented to Mashak Tash. Otherwise the benefits stop from the date of status change.290291### Error: "Trying to log in to hachvana personal area, the login method I was told to use is not accepted"292Cause: the sign-in method for the MoD personal area has changed more than once and is not documented on the benefit page.293Solution: open the sign-in screen at hachvana.mod.gov.il and use whichever method it currently offers. Do not rely on a method quoted from older documentation. If sign-in still fails, call `*5266`.294295### Error: "Aka recognition request rejected despite living alone in Israel"296Cause: Without documented parental absence / death / estrangement, "living alone" is not enough.297Solution: Appeal via the unit's Mashak Tash + IDF Welfare Officer with additional documentation (foreign address proof, estrangement social worker letter). For olim, attach Teudat Oleh + family information showing parents abroad.
skills-il