The New York Yankees baseball team continued its tradition of saluting lone soldiers, or IDF troops who do not live with their families.
On Thursday, Nefesh B’Nefesh and Friends of the Israel Defense Forces (FIDF) hosted the 6th annual “Yom Siddurim” (personal errands day) for lone soldiers in Tel Aviv. The errands day brought together all of the essential civilian agencies whose services are needed by lone soldiers, in order to streamline the soldiers’ efforts to take care of their logistical tasks on a rare day spent off base.
"Lone soldiers" is a term used to describe the 6,000 IDF soldiers during mandatory service who do not live with their parents. Organized together with the IDF Human Resources Department, Yom Siddurim acts as a one-stop-shop for lone soldiers to complete a wide range of errands, so that they can spend their days off from the army in an efficient and productive manner, rather than attempting to navigate the often-challenging Israeli bureaucracy on their own.
As part of an ongoing relationship between the New York Yankees and IDF lone soldiers, the team sent over a special delivery of hats, shirt and bandanas all branded with the slogan "We Love Lone Soldiers" especially for the event.
Mindy Levine, the wife of NY Yankees President Randy Levine, flew in to personally deliver the merchandise and to speak with the lone soldiers.
“This day is aimed at showing our appreciation to the thousands of dedicated Lone Soldiers who serve in the IDF for whom we are constantly exploring new ways to enhance our support and programming,” said Rabbi Yehoshua Fass, Co-Founder and Executive Director of Nefesh B’Nefesh. "I would like to give a special thank you to Mindy and Randy Levine, and the whole Yankees organization for the unequivocal, genuine support they show for these special young heroes."
Thursday's event is not the first time the Yankees have saluted lone soldiers. In 2016 and 2018, Levine hosted dozens of lone soldiers at a Yankee Stadium VIP suite the night before their Aliyah flight took off.
Former New York Yankees relief pitcher Mariano Rivera, who was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame last week, also visited lone soldiers at the IDF's Michve Alon military base during his visit to Israel in August. The visit was organised by FIDF.
“I’m privileged and honored to be here, and learn about the young men and women who are here in the IDF, being trained to be a better person, a better citizen, and a better human being,” Rivera said following the visit. “For me, it was something special that I will take with me through my life.”
Yankees support lone IDF soldiers
