Your Benefits As A Released Lone Soldier

As released (soon to be) Lone Soldiers, you are entitled to a number of benefits:

1. קורס משתחררים

• This is a 5 day course while you are still in service which is given to all Lone Soldiers. In this course you will learn about many of your rights as soon to be released Lone Soldiers as well as learn many tools and resources for civilian life.

2. בית החייל

Lone Soldiers are entitled to live in a בית החייל for up to 3 months after release from the IDF for free. After 3 months, you will be asked to leave.

3. Ma’anak Shichrur/מענק שחרור

• This is a payment given to each soldier who finishes their service in the IDF. The amount of the payment is determined by the type & length of your service in the IDF.
  • 573.75₪ per month of service in combat roles
  • 477.63₪ per month of service in combat-support roles
  • 381.69₪ per month of service in non-combat roles (including period in מחווה אלון)
• You should receive this payment within 60 days of release from the IDF.
• Corona Update: 90% of the payment will be paid within 5 business days of your release from the IDF. The remaining 10% will be released on the first day of the following month after release from the IDF.

4. פיקדון אישי

• This money is released to soldiers 5 years after their release from the IDF. The money is automatically transferred to your bank account.
• You can request to use this money before the 5 years are up for a number of uses such as:
  • School/University (including a psychometric course)
  • Professional courses
  • Wedding
  • Purchasing an apartment, house, property (not rental assistance!)
  • Opening a business
  • Drivers license
• The sum of the Pikadon is determined by the type & length of your service in the IDF:
  • 829.46₪ per month of combat roles (4 months of basic training count as combat support)
  • 691.22₪ per month of combat support roles (2 months of basic training count as a non-combat role)
  • 552.98₪ per month of service in non-combat role

5. Rental Assistance:

• Lone Soldiers are entitled to rental assistance of 1,000₪ per month for a year after their release.
• This money is given in 2 payments of 6,000₪ throughout the year.
• This money is given by הקרן והכוונה לחיילים משוחררים. Find the link to their website here: https://www.hachvana.mod.gov.il/Soldiers/Pages/dior.aspx
• Additionally, from time to time, הקרן והכוונה לחיילים משוחררים offers to help buy furniture and other items that you need for your apartment. Check their website periodically for updates.

6. Health Insurance (if you made aliyah):

Assuming that you made aliyah during or after your release, it is very important to sign up for health insurance. Health Insurance in Israel is quite cheap in comparison to other countries.

• Many health care providers provide a free year of insurance to released soldiers.
• Below are the websites for a number of the health insurance providers
  • Clalit – כללית
  • Maccabi – מכבי
  • Leumit – לאומית
  • Meuchedet – מאוחדת

7. Lowered Income Tax (נס הכנסה):

• Released soldiers are entitled to a lowered income tax for the first 3 years after their release from the IDF.
• Those who served more than 23 months are entitled to 2 “נקודות זכות”
• Those who served between 12-22 months are entitled to 1 “נדוקת זכות”
• You should have between 4.25 – 4.75 total points after receiving the points for being a released soldier.
• The more נקודות זכות that you have, the less pay you pay in income tax. As new immigrants, you are entitled to additional נקודות. Make sure to show your תעודת עולה and תעודת שחרור to your workplace in order to receive the points.
• This is seen on your monthly תלוש משכורת. The תלוש is a sort of statement/breakdown of your salary that your workplace provides after each calendar month.

8. עבודה מעודפת

• Released soldiers who work a minimum of 6 months in “עבודה נדרשת” (jobs in which its harder to find workers), are entitled to a מענק of 9,722₪.
• See here a list of the jobs that are considered עבודה מעודפת – Click here