we stand beside our soldiers

Standing behind our soldiers

Belev Echad is an international nonprofit dedicated to restoring the wounded men and women of the IDF back to life through physical, medical, legal, emotional, and financial support. Our extensive therapies and programs help the soldiers recover and transition back into a meaningful life without limits. We support them and their families every step of the way through what can be a challenging journey, ensuring they are never alone.

We adopt each wounded veteran and assume the roles of mentor, advocate, and friend, guiding them through critical medical, educational and professional decisions and celebrating life’s milestones big and small.

In 2010, Rabbi Uriel & Shevy Vigler invited a group of wounded IDF veterans for a 10-day all-expense paid trip to New York City. “We felt the soldiers could boost morale and might appreciate recognition from their American Jewish friends.” Little did they expect the true impact the trip would have.

The Vigler’s heartfelt gesture of solidarity and support was the root of Belev Echad. Since then, the program has developed into a global organization that is dedicated to helping IDF veterans thrive.

Caring and compassionate staff members are at the core of Belev Echad’s success Most of our staff members and volunteers are wounded soldiers themselves. They understand what the soldiers are going through and are able to empathize with their struggles.

The connection and camaraderie between the staff and soldiers make a tremendous difference when dealing with the trauma associated with war. These heroes have seen the worst of humanity, and facing what has passed is essential to healing emotionally.

The Belev Echad family provides a safe space where the soldiers, and their families, can let their guard down and don’t have to face the horrors they have witnessed alone.

“Belev Echad, is not just therapy; it’s also, and most importantly, the people. People that know exactly what he’s been through because they’ve been through the same thing. It makes him feel good. Yonatan was initially reluctant to leave the house for physical therapy but found a safe space in Belev Echad.”

Carmit Pinto, mother of Yonatan Pinto, a Belev Echad soldier

Board of Directors

Founders and Directors

Rabbi Uriel Vigler
Mrs. Shevy Vigler

Board

Daniel S. Bernstein
Yossi Nasser
Yaara Bank-Plotkin
Philip Silverman
Shay Zach
Richard Miller
Eliana Tisch
Arielle Tradburks

Honorary Board

Martin Nussbaum

Advisory Board

Alix Tillis

Our Team

Israel

Raz Budani
Director of Programs
Sharon & Miki Shtrachman
Project Coordinators
Dr. Ophir Cohen Marom
Medical Director
Eli Orenstein
Finance Director
Avital Davidowitz
Strategic Development Specialist
Ofir Andigar
Events Coordinator
Maayan Budani
Neshek Israel Coordinator
Stav Israel
Food Package & Retreat Coordinator
Matan Eizenberg
Wellness, Guest Experience & Delegations Coordinator
Dor Poplavski
Rehabilitation Operations Coordinator
Roy Wildorf
Project and Rights Coordinator
Tom Harari
Logistics Coordinator
Rotem Hananya
Fitness Instructor
Elad Fadel
Hospital Visits Coordinator
Yael Caduri
Kitchen Staff Coordinator
David Axel Melni
Religious Events Coordinator
Naom Saadi
Severe Injury Coordinator
Liran Dimri
Dog Program Coordinator
Bar Zafrani
System Coordinator
Maayan Nachmani
System Coordinator
Ron Abdan
Soccer Program Coordinator
Kobi Edri
Finance Coordinator
Doron Akiva
MMA Program Coordinator
Boaz Yassia
Surfing Program Coordinator
Doron Davidovich
Water Skiing Program Coordinator
Itay Dori
House Visits Coordinator
Gali Lebel
Welcoming Committee and Community Coordinator
Shani Avraham
Office Manager
Rafael Adhoah
Maintenance Manager
Adir Zecharia
Fitness Coach
Aviad Nistenpover
Rehabilitation Operations Team Member
Yoav Matitya
Rehabilitation Operations Team Member
Shaked Hendler
Welcoming Committee and Orientation Member
Neta Feniger
Welcoming Committee and Orientation Member
Doron Mia
Mashgiach & Kitchen Team Member
Shachaf Amar
Kitchen Team Member
Israel Itzhaki
Kitchen Team Member
Niv Dahan
Kitchen Team Member
Itamar Melamed
Kitchen Team Member
Tomer Schwartz
Kitchen Team Member
Mika Finkel
Medical Secretary
Daniel Vereh
Logistics Team Member
Ohad Besos
Logistics Team Member
On Daos
Logistics Team Member
Nadav Shati
Logistics Team Member
Brano Azaga
Logistics Team Member
Yuval Mazri
Logistics Team Member
Idan Cohen
Logistics Team Member
Moriel Dekhter
Logistics Team Member
Siarhei Rapoport
Logistics Team Member
Refael Catriel
Hospital Visits Team Member
Shir Miyara
Events Team Member
Yehudit Mazengia
Events Team Member
Fikado Avera
Food Package Team Member
Liroy Dahan
Food Package Team Member

USA

Izzy Friedman
Chief Operating Officer
Moishy Lew
Chief Technology Officer
Limor Ben Arie
Director of Marketing
Lauren Chmara
Senior Development Associate
Eliana Martin
Development Associate
Melanie Levene
Development Associate
Olivia Horowitz
Development Associate
Jessica Rosenthal
Development Associate
Ariel Schilp
Development Associate & Special Events
Rosie Vigler
Events & Medical Trips Coordinator
Nazanin Reyhanian
Events Coordinator
Shoshana Cohen
Administrative Assistant
Odelia Nahum
Executive Assistant
Bentzi Sasson
Director of Delegation Operations

Our Heroes

When the dust settles after a war, Belev Echad is the organization that continues caring for wounded soldiers whose scars often last a lifetime. These are just a few of the warriors injured on or after October 7 who have overcome the odds and displayed incredible resilience in the face of evil.

Father of four now paralyzed

Volunteer visiting wounded soldier lying in hospital bed

Abe is a husband, father of four, and one of thousands of reservists who have left their families behind to protect our homeland.

On a recent mission to evacuate his fellow wounded soldiers, Abe was shot in the back, leaving him paralyzed from the chest down. Now gravely injured and unable to work, his wife and children are struggling to get by without any income.

We are ensuring Abe gets the best care for his condition, supporting his family with what they need, and ensuring they survive and thrive.

That is the least we can do for a hero who sacrificed so much for our country.

Made it out alive, but blinded for life

A week into the war, a missile hit Yonatan’s tank near the Gaza border. Covered in shrapnel and suddenly blind, he couldn’t see, but he knew terrorists were moving in.

Together with his fellow soldiers, they managed to kill the terrorists who were on foot, but Yonatan was left with no choice but to play dead until his team could come back and save him.

Since meeting him in the hospital, we have provided Yonatan with crucial treatments and emotional support. He and his mother traveled to NY to be part of our Gala, where he was connected with a top ophthalmologist.

We provided Yonatan with a top-of-the-line device that advances his vision, and he regularly attends the house for treatment to strengthen his eyes and help with coordination. He is part of the family now and forever.

The only one from her unit who survived

Dana’s army base had a grenade thrown at it while she was on lookout patrol. She ran through a barrage of bullets to escape and hid in a shelter under a pile of mattresses for four hours.

While running, she received a bullet wound to her hand. We met her in the hospital where she was receiving treatment for this wound. To her knowledge, she is the only one from her unit who survived the attack.

We are showering her with warmth, love, and everything she needs. She regularly attends physical therapy sessions at Belev Echad, and we are supporting her family financially and emotionally as they support her.

Reut called her mother to say goodbye

Reut thought these were her last moments. Terrorists had invaded her base and were massacring fellow soldiers all around. She hid in a shelter and tried to call her mother to say goodbye.

Her phone wasn’t working, so she got out of the shelter to use someone else’s phone. Finally, Reut got through to her mother, but her mother wouldn’t give up. She called Reut’s brother, a soldier in a nearby base, and sent him to help.

Suddenly, Reut heard her name – it was her brother. In the face of machine gun fire raining down all around, Reut ran with 4 other soldiers to her brother’s car.

Reut’s brother saw a group of terrorists heading towards them but mistook them for Israeli police. He put his hand in his pocket to pull out an Israeli flag. Upon realizing they were terrorists, he instead pulled out a gun, shot the terrorists, and assisted the group to escape.

Covered in blood, Yarin figured this was the end

On November 18, Yarin’s unit was stationed in Gaza when an RPG hit their tank, creating a loud explosion.

They ran outside to see what happened. As Yarin’s commander was handing him a weapon and helmet, an even louder explosion occurred.

There was smoke everywhere, and they started to lose their bearings. Yarin had clearly been injured, but he wasn’t even sure how. Suddenly, through the smoke, their unit medic appeared. He placed a tourniquet on Yarin’s leg to stop the bleeding.

Another IDF tank showed up to evacuate the wounded. As he entered the tank, Yarin looked back to see another RPG fired at them.

It hit his friend in the back, ending his life but saving Yarin and the others.

Remembering Raz

Our hearts are forever shattered by the loss of our beloved Raz, a Belev Echad member and integral part of our team at the house in Israel.

We were desperately clinging to the hope that she was simply missing after attending the Nova music festival on October 7, but we eventually learned that Hamas terrorists murdered her that day in a bomb shelter.

This is the grim and deeply personal reality of the war.

Raz worked tirelessly to share her experiences with the hundreds of soldiers who come through the Belev Echad house each day. She embodied every element of the Belev Echad mission and was the prime example of our namesake, which means “one heart.” She even spoke at our gala in 2022, leaving an indelible mark on every attendee. Her story of courage and bravery during her own service in the IDF will live on forever.

All of us at Belev Echad will never be the same, but we will always remember Raz. Her contagious smile, her infectious laughter, and most of all, the many ways she dedicated her life to helping our wounded warriors.

To know her was to love her, and we are confident that everyone who knew Raz will be touched by her for as long as they live. In her honor, we have started the Neshek fund, which helps us host special events for women, whether they are soldiers or family members of soldiers.

Who We Are — The Lubavitcher Rebbe
RABBI MENACHEM M. SCHNEERSON
SPEAKING TO WOUNDED IDF VETERANS

“I can hardly describe the experience I had the first time we stepped into the Belev Echad house. It felt like a homecoming, as if Yarden had finally found his way home. Instantly, a bond was forged—a remarkable connection and understanding blossomed between him, the staff, and the other soldiers present. It was a connection that felt like they had known each other for a lifetime. Here were people who comprehended his pain, who understood my anguish. People propelled by an unwavering spirit of generosity and boundless love, directed wholly toward serving and supporting others.”

Aviva Hamo, mother of Belev Echad wounded soldier, Yarden Hamo