THE HOME
Since opening in early 2013, HaBayit shel Benji has become “the Home” for lone combat soldiers in Israel.
Located on municipal land on the outskirts of Ra’anana, HaBayit shel Benji was built with the generous assistance of thousands of donors. 87 lone combat soldiers, male and female, from all over the world, live in HaBayit shel Benji.
In an effort to keep up with the ever increasing demand for a real home for lone soldiers, we have decided to build a second Home to house 93 lone combat soldiers. As soon as we have raised all the necessary funds for this project, (approximately 90% of the total budget of $8M has been raised), the new Home will be built in Ra’anana, adjacent to the original Bayit.
FACILITIES
Each soldier has his/her own air-conditioned room (with cable TV and wireless internet connection), for the entire duration of their service, and enjoys home cooked meals, laundry services (volunteers take their laundry when the soldier comes home for the weekend, and return it clean, folded and ready to go back to the army when the soldier returns) a club room and library, leisure and recreation activities.
CLUB ROOM
KITCHEN & DINING ROOM
OUTDOOR FACILITIES
STAFF & VOLUNTEERS:
Our skilled and experienced and sympathetic staff and volunteers are present 24 hours a day to lend an ear and provide emotional support.
LAUNDRY FAMILIES:
Each soldier receives a “washing” family that takes care of their laundry for the entirety of their service. When a soldier returns home to Habayit Shel Benji they do not have to worry about washing their laundry, but rather their laundry family comes and takes the laundry, returning it, washed and folded at the end of the weekend.
GROWING FROM STRENGTH TO STRENGTH
Responding to many requests from all sectors of Israeli society to expand the home, and provide a solution for even more lone combat soldiers, The Benji Hillman Foundation rose to the challenge and decided to expand and extend the Bayit.
Stage II of the Bayit, which included 27 new bedrooms and renovations to the kitchen and Guidance Center was completed in September 2016, and Stage III the addition of 12 new bedrooms was completed in March 2019.
HaBayit shel Benji is now home to 87 lone combat soldiers from Israel and around the world.
HaBayit shel Benji and the Guidance Center are run by professional managers with many years of experience in working with young adults. The Bayit also employs a house mother, and maintenance and cleaning staff.
All other tasks are undertaken by an eager and willing team of local volunteers who provide extra support in all aspects of the house – from manning the reception desk, helping in the kitchen and working in the garden to acting as “laundry families”, who take care of one soldier’s laundry every time they come home to the Bayit.