Looking Back

From the William Davidson Digital Archive of Jewish Detroit History

accessible at thejewishnews.com

54 | JANUARY 18 • 2024 J
N

Lone Soldiers — 
A Sense of Duty 
T

he war against Hamas continues, and as I read the daily 
updates from the U.S. and Israeli media, I have often 
thought about the “Lone Soldiers” in the Israel Defense 
Forces (IDF). Anyone who has served in America’s armed 
forces may know the feeling of being alone — especially during 
boot camp — despite being surrounded by dozens, hundreds 
or thousands of soldiers, sailors, airmen/women, 
Coast Guard or Marines. 
However, for Lone Soldiers in the IDF, it is a 
different experience. Since 1948, individual men 
and women from America, Canada, Europe and 
other regions of the world have decided to join 
the IDF and do their part to defend Israel. All have 
dedicated themselves to protecting Israel and are 
willing to put themselves in harm’s way to do so. 
About 7,000 Lone Soldiers are serving in the IDF 
today; at least 18 have died in the Gaza war.
Fundamentally, the experience is like that of any American 
who joins the U.S. military. Upon enlisting in a particular service 
branch, the President and commanding officers can send that 
person to fight anywhere in the world. 
For Lone Soldiers in the IDF, however, it is different. They may 
or may not know Hebrew at first, but they must learn the language. 
They not only enter a different society and culture, but also a nation that is surrounded by 
many who are willing to attack any and every Israeli.
I decided to explore Lone Soldiers in the William Davidson Digital Archive of Jewish 
Detroit History. There are many fine stories about these extraordinary men and women.
By the way, the first mention of a “lone soldier” was in “Iron Cross,” a short story in the 
Sept. 30, 1921, Jewish Chronicle. Published in the aftermath of World War I, it’s about an 
interaction between a wounded German soldier and a dying Frenchman, both Jews. 
Lonely soldiers in the IDF were first cited as a primary reason for the formation of 
Michigan’s first chapter of the Friends of the IDF (March 17, 1989, JN). Morton Feldman, 
Jay Abramson, Harvey Kline and Jerry Gold were its founders. The FIDF helps provide 
comfort and aid for Lone Soldiers. Feldman noted his own experience; he served in the 
U.S. Army as a radar specialist “on a lonely base in the North Sea” for over a year.
Stories about modern Lone Soldiers, however, first appear in the 1990s. Several feature articles about 
them in the JN provide great insight into their experiences, as well as that of their parents and families. The JN cover story 
“Lone Soldiers” is a good read as well as “Our Secret Weapon” (May 1, 2014, May 17, 2018).
The more recent “Sense of Duty” by JN writer Stacy Gittleman is an excellent article about young Detroiters in the IDF (Feb. 
18, 2021). Note the “young” part of this story. Although every military has seasoned veterans, colloquially known as “lifers,” 
it is good to remember that the overwhelming majority of those serving in the IDF — or the American military — are young 
men and women. And, in the IDF, women are now serving with frontline combat units such as infantry and tank brigades. 
Over the past 75 years, “Lone Soldiers” have helped protect the State of Israel. They are to be admired for their sense of 
duty. 

Want to learn more? Go to the DJN archives, available for free at thejewishnews.com.

Mike Smith
Alene and 
Graham Landau 
Archivist Chair

forces may know the feeling of being alone — especially during 

Stories about modern Lone Soldiers, however, first appear in the 1990s. Several feature articles about 

