An FIDF family has made history, as its fourth and youngest daughter made aliyah and is serving alongside her three sisters as a guardian of the Jewish homeland. They are the first family ever from the United States with four Lone Soldier girls in service together.
Naomi Arbel, a beloved FIDF staff member from New England, is the mother of the brave and selfless siblings who are serving simultaneously.
The Arbel’s youngest daughter, Y. (18.5 years old), now joins: Captain A. (24.5 years old), Lieutenant O. (23 years old), and Private A. (20 years old), who each hold prestigious positions. Captain (Res.) A. is an active reservist in an elite Navy unit; Lieutenant O. was the first Americanever to complete a pilot’s course and currently serves as a pilot in the 120th squadron on the Nevatim Air Force base and Private A., extremely skilled in singing and acting, serves in the esteemed IDF military band.
Arbel and her husband have supported each one of their girls in their individual journeys. “Being the parent of a Lone Soldier, not to mention four, is not easy but it’s nothing compared to what it’s like for the young soldiers who are living away from their family and all that is familiar. I’m so proud that our girls acted on their beliefs, and while the difficulties have been real since our eldest enlisted, our family has experienced an abundance of care and guidance from FIDF,” said Arbel. “We are grateful for the support our girls continue to receive and can rest easier knowing that they are being provided with some of the comforts of home.”
FIDF invests more than $5 million every year on support and programs for Lone Soldiers. Over the years, the Arbel sisters have benefitted from FIDF programs including flights home to visit their family and “Errand Day,” an effort sponsored by FIDF to bring multiple bureaucratic offices to one location for Lone Soldiers to conveniently take care of administrative needs.
We are incredibly grateful to each of the Arbel women for their contributions to the safety of the State of Israel.