About Us

The Association for the Israels Soldiers combines the LIBI Fund and AWIS (Association for the Welfare of Israeli Soldiers). AWIS is the portal and sole avenue through which donations can be made directly to IDF soldiers and IDF units. The Association for the Israel Soldiers is also the leading organization conducting activities for the well-being of Israel’s soldiers.

In 2015, more than 70 years after the Association for the Welfare of Israeli Soldiers (AWIS) was founded, and 35 years after the establishment of the LIBI Fund, these two organizations amalgamated into one stronger and more purpose-focused organization where 100% of its operations and donations are geared to benefitting Israel’s soldiers.

The Ministry of Defense funds donation recruitment efforts. This allows us to ensure and commit 100% of your donation to our soldiers based on pre-set targets and the IDF’s priorities.

Heading the amalgamated organization is General (Res.) Yoram Yair, known as Yaya, who holds the position on a fully volunteer basis. His activities are run through three primary branches:

The Association for the Israel Soldiers: donation recruitment for Israel’s soldiers

Headed by Colonel (Res.) Sharon Harmon

The Association for the Israel Soldiers: donation implementation, and operating the Soldiers’ Homes and Recreation Villages

Headed by Yaron Be’eri

Caveret Chain (formerly known as Shekem Convenience Stores and Outlets)

Headed by Tzvika Goldenberg

100% to our soldiers. How does that happen?

Our operational focus is to benefit the IDF’s combat soldiers, lone soldiers, and soldiers from special populations. First and foremost, we aim to ensure that no soldier feels alone. Over the years we’ve assisted and embraced thousands of soldiers serving in the IDF and are who are far from their families.

We activate a sleep-over system that provides a warm home to thousands of soldiers in our Soldiers’ Homes and in 150 apartments spread across Israel. at Rosh Hashanah (New Year) and Passover, we grant gift vouchers to every lone soldier or soldier from other sectors who fulfill the entitlement criteria. We host a combat battalion every week for a “cohesion week” of shared vacation and consolidate as a group at the Recreation Village in Ashkelon. We provide furniture and electrical appliances to needy families of our soldiers. We fly lone soldiers home to visit their families abroad. We hold special events during Jewish festivals and days of national importance. And we run additional diverse projects, all of which aim to support these populations.

Every year the organization sets up hundreds of recreational spaces, relaxation areas, synagogues, gyms, and cultural halls on IDF bases across Israel for our soldiers’ well-being. The organization is proud of its “Adopt a Combat Soldier” project which sees Israeli businesses and donors from abroad adopt an IDF combat unit or battalion. More than 200 successful adoptions to date strengthen the connection between the general public with a special focus on the business sector, and the IDF.

We operate the “Yoter” (More) club, the only consumer club for soldiers fulfilling compulsory military service, which provides them with gifts and benefits before, during, and after their military service.

Over 2,000 volunteers operate in about 90 local AWIS branches in Israel, making it possible for AWIS to realize its goals. The soldiers encounter our volunteers at the end of their military exercises and at beret graduation treks, at bus stops and transportation stations, where they’re received with a smile, a drink, and a pastry.

We’re inviting you to join forces with us. United for Israel’s Soldiers. Volunteer or donate and take part in our vital activities.

General (Res.) Yoram Yair, “Yaya,” Chairman, The Association for the Israel Soldiers

Born in Kibbutz Ein Hanatziv, Yoram Yair was raised and educated in Tel Aviv. The majority of his military service was with the paratroopers, starting as a company commander and advancing all the way up to division commander.

General Yair was the commander who led the paratroopers breaking into Sinai during the Six Day War, the Paratroops Battalion commander in the Yom Kippur War, and who fought in the battles halting enemy progress in the Golan Heights.

Later he and his battalion crossed the Suez Canal, leading combat activities deep into Egyptian terrain. General Yair was serving as commander of the Paratroopers Brigade when it carried out the amphibious landing north of Sidon in the 1982 Lebanon War, leading his forces to Beirut. General Yair served as commander of the Lebanon sector. In 1988 he was granted the rank of General and led the Northern Command against the Syrian front, served as head of the IDF Personnel Division, and was appointed as Israel’s military attaché in Washington.

As part of his service, Gen. Yair participated in, planned, and commanded dozens of raids and operations beyond Israel’s borders.

Gen. Yair also headed the committee that formulated “The Spirit of the IDF,” a military code of ethics.

On retiring, Gen. Yair began initiating and leading social and educational activities on a volunteer basis, serving as the Chairman of the Hadassah Youth Village’s administrative board and as Chairman of the association managing drug rehabilitation villages. He also serves as Chairman of the administrative board of “Acharai”, a social educational movement that supports thousands of immigrant youth, young adults at risk, and youth from social and geographic peripheries, including youth from minorities and the ultra-Orthodox sector who are assisted in finding meaningful service in the IDF.

Gen. Yair is active in the field of business, serving as Chairman for four companies in diverse spheres, and as a strategic consultant.

He holds his BA in Psychology and his MBA in Business Management and Psychology. He is viewed as an authority on leadership and management development, lectures, and heads the “Rabin Leadership Program” at IDC Herzliya.

Since 2014 he has focused on fully merging the LIBI Fund and AWIS in order to maximize their efficiency and impact, and since 2015 has served as the active, voluntary chairman of the integrated organization, known as “The Association for the Israel Soldiers.”

Gen. Yair is married to Edna and has four children and 13 grandchildren.

His daughter, Captain Shlomit Yair, fell in the line of duty while serving as an Air Force operations officer.

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Lt. Col. (resp.) Sherry Carmel.

CEO of the Association for the Soldier Foundation

Shari was born in Ramat Gan, raised and educated in Givat Shmuel and Jerusalem.
Currently lives in Modiin, married to Tal and mother of two.

Shari performed a command service track in the public relations system, including 4 MP positions.
She is a graduate of the Rav Hayili MP course and a graduate of the Barak FOM course.

In 1997 she established and founded the “Combat Hammer Activity” company at the Tzalim base.

Shari performed lieutenant colonel command duties between: command of the Nitzanim recruit base and school for the command of the Magal formation
She even served as the head of the public relations department, in charge of about 1,000 female officers in the land arm.

In 2016, she was promoted to the rank of lieutenant colonel and appointed commander of the Magal formation – a formation that constitutes the agreements for the training of basic trainees in the IDF.

In 2020, she joined the Foundation for the Soldier’s Association as a vice president and from January 2023 she serves as the CEO of the Association for the Soldier’s Fund.

Shari is an active reserve officer in the public relations unit and Magel, founder of the “Bereshit” program to accompany and empower outstanding female officers in the unit.

Sherry serves as a member of the board of directors at Beit Ham.

Shari holds a bachelor’s degree (B.A) in political science and a master’s degree (M.A) with honors in negotiation and conflict resolution, as well as a mediator’s certificate, all from Bar Ilan University.

Brigadier General (Res.) Yaron Beeri

CEO, the Association for the Soldier

Born and raised in Kibbutz Beit Yitzhak in the Hefer Valley region, Yaron Beeri enlisted in the IDF as a combat soldier in the armored forces. He participated in the first Lebanon War. While in an armored forces commanders’ course he was seriously wounded, his recuperation extending over a lengthy period. Despite the scope of his injury he opted to continue in the career military and joined the Personnel Management Corps. Beeri filled a diverse array of field positions.

In 2001, Yaron was appointed to the role of the Northern Command’s Personnel Commander and was deeply involved in structuring the command’s infrastructure following the IDF’s withdrawal from Lebanon. In 2005, he was appointed to the Individuals’ Service Department in the IDF’s Personnel Division and served as Chairman of the “Hever” organization. During his tenure he managed and led the system for handling the individualized needs and wellbeing of soldiers in the IDF during compulsory military service; he established the reserves system and, inter alia, led and embedded “A Different Service” program, a strategic change shortening the streamlining and diffusion process relating to soldiers fulfilling their compulsory service; he participated in consolidating the IDF pension center while simultaneously absorbing the initial recruits into the accruable pension plan; he served as a member of the directorate on the Association for the Welfare of Israel’s Soldiers (AWIS); and participated in the establishment of the “Adopt a Combat Soldier” project.

In 2008 Beeri was granted the rank of Brig. General and appointed to head the IDF Land Forces Human Resources Division where he was involved, inter alia, in developing, leading and assimilating a new perception for handling recruits to field units. He also led a program for recruiting soldiers of Ethiopian origins into land forces, and assimilating a unique economic plan adapted to recruits entering initial land forces training programs.

In 2011 Beeri was invited to join the Israel Police Force and granted the rank of Commissioner. He served as head of the HR Division where his role saw him initiate the “Considering People” program which led to an organizational perception change in the way the police and its commanders relate to others serving in the organization. In 2015 he was appointed to head the Israel Police Traffic Division, and led the reorganization processes across the entire traffic police system.

At his request, Beeri retired from the Police Force in 2016, having completed the assimilation of changes instituted in the Traffic Police. In 2017 he was appointed Deputy CEO at “Aura Investments” and in May 2019, a commission headed by Gen. Yoram “Yaya” Yair, Chairman of The Association for the Israel Soldiers, appointed Beeri as CEO of the amalgamated LIBI Fund and Association for the Welfare of Israel’s Soldiers.

Beeri served as a board member of several organizations, among them the Otzar Hahayal banking system for military staff, “Hever,” and the Association for the Welfare of Israel’s Soldiers.

Beeri holds his BA in Multidisciplinary Social Sciences from Haifa University, and his MBA in Business Management from Derby University.

Yaron Beeri is married to Ilanit, is the father of four children, and lives in Caesarea.

Tzvika Goldenberg

CEO, "Caveret for the Soldier"

The city of Rehovot is where Tzvika was born, raised and educated. He is married to Celine, has four children and two granddaughters.

His career focuses on commercial companies, primarily Kimberly Clark and Colgate Palmolive.

His approach is that the individual makes the role and not vice versa.

His strategy is based on building foundations as the infrastructure for growth and development.

His objective is to create equality among the IDF’s soldiers through a wide range of products and attractive prices.