This is a volunteer-based social initiative that provides invaluable one-on-one support for the over 7,000 lone soldiers currently serving in the IDF. Ach Gadol gives each lone soldier support, guidance, and tools for coping with the ongoing challenges of military service, and especially for dealing with the challenges that are unique to those who are serving without having the support of family close by.

Courage to Care is a volunteer-led program that aims to empower Australians to stand up against prejudice and discrimination. Using Holocaust survivors’ stories of their rescue as an example, the program educates participants towards an understanding of the roles of victim, perpetrator and bystander. Participants are encouraged to become ‘upstanders’ and take positive action against discrimination in all forms, and to make a difference whenever possible.

The Israel Wildlife Hospital, in cooperation with the Zoological Center Tel Aviv, the Ramat Gan Safari and the Israel Nature and Parks Protection Authority, works to treat wild animals, and to ensure the rehabilitation and conservation of species in danger of extinction. It aims to give wild animals the best veterinary care and rehabilitation possible, and to prevent the extinction of wildlife in Israel.

Run by the Sony Foundation Australia, the ‘You Can’ initiative, which was launched in 2010, aims to close the gap that currently exists for 15 – 25-year-olds with cancer. It aims to give young people a voice, listen to their needs, and work with governmental, medical, and corporate Australia to deliver tangible solutions. The project includes ‘You Can Centres’ dedicated spaces in hospitals for teenagers and young adults with cancer; free ‘You Can Stay’ homes for regional youth cancer patients who need to travel to city hospitals for life-saving treatment; and ‘You Can Fertility’ – a project that allows for patients to have tissue samples extracted by a gynaecologist in their local area and for the sample to be transported back to Melbourne for cryopreservation. The Neishlos Foundation has made two significant pledges to the ‘You Can’ initiative.

This organization supports and trains young Israeli adults on the autism spectrum, providing them with the skills necessary to serve their country in the IDF and to lead a self-sufficient life thereafter. As indicated by the program’s name (‘Looking Ahead’), Roim Rachok aims to provide a sense of belonging and purpose for these vulnerable young Israelis. The program organizes interactive workshops where participants learn essential life skills like managing their finances and developing and maintaining relationships.