HaAguda LeMaan HaChayal

HaAguda LeMaan HaChayal (Hebrew: האגודה למען החייל, "The Association for the Soldier") is an Israeli non-profit organization dedicated to the welfare of soldiers serving in the Israel Defense Forces (IDF). According to its own website, it is the single gateway and the exclusive route for transferring donations to IDF soldiers and units, and it describes itself as the leading body for activity on behalf of soldiers' welfare. The organization states that its fundraising activity is fully funded by the Ministry of Defense, so that no overhead is deducted from donations and 100% of every donation reaches soldiers according to priorities set in advance by the IDF. The association was founded in 1942 by the Jewish Agency and the National Committee as the "National Committee for the Jewish Soldier," to meet the welfare needs of Jewish soldiers during the pre-state period and on the fronts of World War II. After the establishment of the State of Israel and the founding of the IDF, its organizational infrastructure was converted to assist IDF soldiers, and in 1982 its name was officially changed to "HaAguda LeMaan HaChayal." In 2015 the association merged with the Libi Fund (קרן לב"י) into one organization, and in 2016 the unified body was named "Yachad LeMaan HaChayal" (Together for the Soldier). In November 2022 it was decided to change the name and logo back to "HaAguda LeMaan HaChayal." The organization is headed by Maj. Gen. (res.) Yoram Yair – Ya-Ya, who serves in a fully voluntary capacity, and operates through three main arms: the HaAguda LeMaan HaChayal Fund, which raises donations for soldiers; HaAguda LeMaan HaChayal, which implements the donations and operates soldiers' houses and vacation villages; and the "Kivunim" (כוורת) network, formerly the ShKEM, which runs convenience stores for IDF soldiers. Its activities focus on combat soldiers, lone soldiers and soldiers from special populations. It operates soldiers' houses (Beit HaChayal) and around 220 lone-soldier apartments across the country, provides gift vouchers to every lone or eligible soldier at Rosh Hashanah and Passover, hosts a combat battalion every week for a "cohesion week," runs a vacation village in Ashkelon, supplies furniture and electrical appliances to needy soldiers' families, flies lone soldiers abroad for family visits, and builds hundreds of welfare clubs, rest corners, synagogues, fitness rooms and culture halls on IDF bases. Its "Adopt a Fighter" project has more than 260 successful adoptions linking businesses and donors to combat battalions. Its "Yoter" club is the only consumer club for compulsory-service soldiers. The association operates through three geographic regions: North (from Kiryat Shmona to Hadera, about 28 branches), Center (about 40 branches) and South (from Yavne to Eilat). It owns 16 facilities across the country, including two vacation villages (Ashkelon and Givat Olga), six education campuses, and soldiers' houses in Haifa, Tiberias, Kiryat Shmona, Beersheba and elsewhere. It also owns a private subsidiary, Nichsei Chayal Nach Ltd., which leases association properties for commercial use.

HaAguda LeMaan HaChayal was founded in 1942 by the Jewish Agency and the National Committee as the "National Committee for the Jewish Soldier" (הוועד הארצי למען החייל היהודי). Its purpose was to meet the welfare needs of Jewish soldiers, both in pre-state Palestine and on the fronts of World War II. The committee established a special home for soldiers' children, sent blankets, warm clothing, bedding, religious articles, books and newsletters with news from Palestine to the front in Europe, and distributed cultural journals to soldiers. Among the founders of the committee was Yosef Baratz. After the establishment of the State of Israel, the "Committee for the Jewish Soldier" already had dozens of branches across the country. With the outbreak of the War of Independence and the founding of the IDF, the national and local organizational infrastructure was converted to assist IDF soldiers. The name was changed from "National Committee for the Jewish Soldier" to "Committee for the Soldier" (הוועד למען החייל), and in 1982 the name was officially changed to "HaAguda LeMaan HaChayal." In 2015, the two associations – HaAguda LeMaan HaChayal and the Libi Fund (קרן לב"י) – merged into one strong, goal-oriented organization operating 100% for IDF soldiers. In 2016, it was decided to unify the association with the Libi Fund and to call the new body "Yachad LeMaan HaChayal" (Together for the Soldier). In November 2022, it was decided to change the name and logo of the organization back to "HaAguda LeMaan HaChayal." Over the years, the association has assisted, helped and embraced hundreds of thousands of soldiers serving in the IDF far from their families. In recent years it has given about 200 million shekels annually to IDF soldiers through many areas of activity. It operates projects for lone soldiers and needy soldiers, manages a network of soldiers' houses and apartments across the country for lodging soldiers, plans and builds structures and halls on IDF bases, conducts activities for reserve soldiers, hosts combat battalions and combat-support units every week, adopts combat battalions, operates roadside refreshment stands for soldiers, holds fun days for lone soldiers, conducts welfare activities for families of widows and orphans of the IDF, has owned the ShKEM convenience store network of the company Shiran since 2002, and operates the "Yoter" club, the benefits club for compulsory-service soldiers. Activities are carried out by volunteers and employees of the association operating in three regions: North (from Kiryat Shmona to Hadera, about 28 branches), Center (about 40 branches) and South (from Yavne to Eilat). Many volunteers, called "aunts" (הדודות), work for soldiers within the branches spread across the country. One of the association's main goals is caring for lone soldiers, soldiers from distressed families and new immigrants, with special attention to their changing needs. In recent years there has been a significant increase in requests for assistance from these populations. The association conducts special activity in times of emergency. During Operation Protective Edge (2014), it raised about 16 million shekels in donations and delivered to soldiers over 140,000 packages and kits of hygiene products, underwear and sweets. Donations came from organizations cooperating with the association worldwide (FIDF in the United States and Panama, AWIS UK in England, HLH in Mexico) as well as from companies, organizations and private individuals. The association funds about 1,000 flights annually for lone soldiers (whose families live abroad) under the "Mitga'age'im HaBayta" (Longing for Home) project, for a visit to their parents abroad. Every lone soldier is entitled to full funding for a flight to their country of origin once during their military service. It hosts the main Passover Seder for lone soldiers and new immigrants with hundreds of soldiers participating. It also assists soldiers hospitalized during their service, provides special gifts and free TV connection during hospitalization, and rents about 150 apartments across the country for lone soldiers, housing hundreds of soldiers. The association owns a private subsidiary, "Nichsei Chayal Nach Ltd." (נכסי חייל נח בע"מ), which leases the association's properties to commercial entities. For example, it leases the hall of the Beit HaChayal in Tel Aviv as a performance venue, the dining room and rooms for Shabbat Hatan at the Beit HaChayal in Beersheba, restaurants, swimming pools and roofs for placing cellular antennas at facilities. In 2019, the company's revenues were estimated at 127 million shekels, of which 8 million shekels were from lodging soldiers. The company does not disclose its reports to the general public. In recent years, the association has worked intensively to promote welfare benefits for the reserve system. It builds welfare infrastructure at reserve training bases at costs of tens of millions of shekels (such as the Tze'elim training center, the Lachish training base, the Elyakim training base), equips clubs for reserve soldiers, assists hospitalized reserve soldiers, and conducts volunteer activity at reserve training bases and distributes clothing and food. The association has 16 facilities across the country for the welfare of IDF soldiers: 2 vacation villages (Ashkelon and Givat Olga), 6 education campuses (Har HaLavan, Havat HaShomer, Beit Goldmintz, Beit Feldman, Sha'arei Avraham and Har Gila), and soldiers' houses nationwide: Beit HaChayal in Haifa, Tiberias, Kiryat Shmona, Beersheba and others.

• 2022

  In November, decided to change the name and logo back to "HaAguda LeMaan HaChayal."

• 2019

  Subsidiary Nichsei Chayal Nach Ltd. estimated revenues of 127 million shekels, of which 8 million from lodging soldiers.

• 2016

  Unified body named "Yachad LeMaan HaChayal" (Together for the Soldier).

• 2015

  HaAguda LeMaan HaChayal and the Libi Fund merged into one organization.

• 2014

  During Operation Protective Edge, raised about 16 million shekels and delivered over 140,000 packages and kits to soldiers.

• 2002

  Association became owner of the ShKEM convenience store network of the company Shiran.

• 1982

  Name officially changed to "HaAguda LeMaan HaChayal."

• 1948

  After the establishment of Israel and the founding of the IDF, the organization's infrastructure was converted to assist IDF soldiers; name changed to "Committee for the Soldier."

• 1942

  Founded by the Jewish Agency and the National Committee as the "National Committee for the Jewish Soldier."

The exclusive and leading non-profit channel for donations and welfare services for IDF soldiers, emphasizing that 100% of donations reach soldiers with no overhead.

• Yoter Club

  The only consumer benefits and discounts club for compulsory-service IDF soldiers.

• Kivunim (formerly ShKEM) network

  Convenience store network for IDF soldiers, owned by the association since 2002.

• Adopt a Fighter (Amtz Lochem)

  Project in which businesses and donors adopt combat battalions; over 260 successful adoptions.

• Mitga'age'im HaBayta (Longing for Home)

  Funds about 1,000 flights annually for lone soldiers to visit their parents abroad.

• Soldiers' houses (Beit HaChayal)

  Network of lodging facilities for soldiers across Israel, including Haifa, Tiberias, Kiryat Shmona and Beersheba.

• Vacation villages

  Two vacation villages in Ashkelon and Givat Olga for soldiers and bereaved families.

• Adopt a Fighter (Amtz Lochem)
• Mitga'age'im HaBayta (Longing for Home)
• Yoter Club

1. 1דף הבית - האגודה למען החיילufis.org.il
2. 2מי אנחנו? - האגודה למען החיילufis.org.il
3. 3Israel Association for the Support of Soldierswikidata.org
4. 4האגודה למען החיילhe.wikipedia.org