For many soldiers in the IDF whose parents have lost jobs and having a difficult time making ends meet, they are now faced with tough decisions, including possibly leaving the military to get a job and assist in keeping their homes afloat. The army is well-aware of the pressure on a growing number of soldiers and is taking action to assist.

Chief of IDF Personnel Branch Major-General Avi Zamir is working to permit a larger number of soldiers to take days off, permitting them to hold down part-time jobs. In some cases, soldiers will receive time off, a month, permitting them to work for a number of weeks. Zamir hopes to find ways to assist, especially the soldiers from elite combat units, seeking to lower the burden on their soldiers and to keep them from leaving the military. Seeking to reduce the red tape involved in providing assistance, commanders have been given gift certificates amounting to NIS 2,000 a year, instructing them to distribute them to soldiers in need, requesting they especially seek those who previously were doing okay but today, are feeling the crunch. They are also distributing debit cards for purchases up to NIS 120 a month in SuperSol, the nation’s largest supermarket chain.

For career personnel, the army is also offering attractive loans up to NIS 3,000 annually, and increased assistance for lone soldiers in the areas of housing and other basics, to permit them to maintain an acceptable lifestyle.

LIBI, the fund to assist soldiers, also distributes coupons to purchase appliances, a package that covers 22 different items including washing machines, stoves, TVs, heaters, basic furniture and refrigerators.

One division commander explains that today, he is receiving an increasing number of requests from soldiers who were previously considered middle class, those who never thought they would be seeking assistance.

(Yechiel Spira – YWN Israel)