In a time when the word “mission” takes on new meaning, it’s hard not to be moved by Ari Bar-Shain’s story – an oleh from the U.S., former IDF combat soldier and officer in the Givati Brigade, and now, the driving force behind a support program for religious lone soldiers called Tzalash – Tzava L’Shem Shamayim (Army for the Sake of Heaven).

Bar-Shain, 28, was born and raised in Cleveland, Ohio. At just 17, he left everything behind and moved to Israel alone to study at Yeshivat Har Etzion. From there, he enlisted in the IDF, serving first as a combat soldier and later as an officer in Givati – a formative experience that came with its own unique challenges as a lone soldier in a new country.

“I know the difficulties firsthand. I’ve been there,” he says. “There’s a real sense of loneliness, especially when you feel like no one truly sees you.”

Today, Bar-Shain is married to an Israeli from Nof Ayalon, and he’s at the forefront of efforts to support religious lone soldiers in the IDF – most of whom come from the U.S., Canada, the U.K., Australia, and South Africa – often through the Machal program or yeshiva-based aliyah frameworks. He joined Tzalash just before October 7th, and during Sukkot visited lone soldiers at an officer training base, not knowing that just days later he’d be called up for reserve duty and have to return there in uniform.

Even while serving in reserves, Bar-Shain continues to support lone soldiers. He runs a WhatsApp group with over 200 lone soldiers, and maintains close personal contact with about 75 of them. He visits them on bases – from the Golan Heights to the Shizafon military base in the south – offering Torah classes, one-on-one conversations, a listening ear, and perhaps most importantly, being someone there who genuinely cares.

“It’s not just about logistics, it’s about the soul,” he explains. “When I drive to visit a lone soldier from the Golan Heights to the Egyptian border – I feel this is my calling. I see myself working together with the commanders, each of us contributing our part to make sure these soldiers feel at home.”

Bar-Shain’s dedication has made him a key figure in the growing community of religious lone soldiers in Israel. Tzalash, which bridges the worlds of Torah study and military service, found in him the perfect person for the job – someone who speaks the language, understands the cultural gaps, and knows exactly what each of these soldiers is going through.

“I’m not trying to be a mentor or a role model,” he says humbly. “I just want to be there for them, the way I wish someone had been there for me when I was 19 and alone in a new country.”

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)