About Us
About Us
Yad Lebanim is the organization delegated by Israel to commemorate the memory of the fallen soldiers of Israel. Our mission is to support the families of our fallen by giving them all the tools they need to strive for a better future. Through counseling, mentorship, and a supportive community, Yad Labanim creates a platform that connects bereaved families, helping them return to living fulfilling lives.
Yad Labanim provides the guidance and the funding they need to enable bereaved families to honor their loved one’s memory and build social initiatives that strengthen our people and our country, transforming their pain and loss into the foundations of a stronger society.
On a national level, we work to educate future generations on the values of selflessness, dedication, and commitment to a higher cause, following the example set by our fallen loved ones.
We ensure the remembrance of the sacrifice of all 23,741 fallen soldiers through memorials and legacy projects.
We provide assistance, guidance, and counseling to grieving families from every sector of Israeli society, including Jewish, Circassian, Bedouin, and Druze Israelis, creating a community that embraces and supports them every step of their lives.
We serve as a bridge between Jewish communities in the world and Israeli families who have lost a loved one.
Eli Ben-Shem,
Chairman of Yad LaBanim
Chairman of the organization
Eli Ben-Shem has been chairman of Yad LaBanim since 1999. As a bereaved father himself, he lost his son, Kobi, in a military helicopter crash on his way to serve in Lebanon in 1997. While mourning his son Kobi, Ben-Shem learned firsthand how important it is to feel the support and warmth of other bereaved
parents.
He decided to stand as chairman of Yad LaBanim when the Ministry of Defense put him through a painful interview before giving him benefits as a parent of a child killed in battle. Since then, Ben-Shem wanted to ensure that no other bereaved parents would have to go through the same experience.
As chairman, Ben-Shem oversaw the cancellation of a means test for bereaved parents and received the presidential award in the
country’s 70th year.