Since October 7, 2023, many people have been called up for long stretches of reserve duty, some of them again and again. They left behind family, work, and sometimes an entire business they had spent years building. When they come back, the questions begin: what happened to my clients, is my job still mine, how do I look for new work after months in the field.
In this article we have gathered the types of support for reservists that the state offers today, based on the latest information on Kol Zchut, the Israeli rights information website, as well as social ventures at Alumot that help reservists, their businesses and soldiers in the field. The article is for reservists themselves, for their families, and for anyone who wants to help and does not know where to start.
What support are reservists entitled to from the state?
Reservists' rights are updated frequently, and they depend on how many days you served, the type of call-up order and the unit or framework in which you served. What appears here is a general picture based on the information published on Kol Zchut, as of July 2026. Before submitting any request, it is worth checking the current conditions.
Anyone called up for reserve duty is entitled to a payment from the National Insurance Institute, known as reserve duty compensation. Employees receive a payment based on their salary up to a ceiling, and self-employed people receive a payment calculated according to the advance payments they make to the National Insurance Institute. According to Kol Zchut, in 2026 the minimum compensation is NIS 328.76 per day and the maximum is NIS 1,730.33 per day.
Beyond the compensation, there are additional cash grants from the Reservists' Assistance Fund, relief from banks, payment deferrals, benefits for students and support for spouses. The full list can be found in the guide for reservists on the Kol Zchut website, which also has a system for checking eligibility based on personal details.
Self-employed reservists and business owners: what can you receive?
For the self-employed, long service harms not only their monthly income but the business itself: clients move to competitors, projects are postponed, and reputation wears away. These are the main tracks listed on Kol Zchut:
- Reserve duty compensation for the self-employed: self-employed people who pay their insurance contributions regularly should receive the compensation automatically, without filing a claim.
- Compensation for a drop in business income: business owners who served under an emergency call-up order (Tzav 8) from October 7, 2023 onward, and whose income was harmed because of their service, may be entitled to compensation through the Israel Tax Authority. There are two tracks, depending on the number of consecutive days of service, and requests are submitted once every two months.
- Supplementary support from the Reservists' Assistance Fund, in addition to the compensation from the Israel Tax Authority.
- 10 hours of business consulting: those who served more than 30 days under Tzav 8 are entitled to consulting from the Small and Medium Business Agency at the Ministry of Economy, on subjects such as marketing, growing sales and digital. Participation depends on registration and on a committee decision.
Financial support matters, but it does not bring clients back. This is where ventures working on the other side of the equation come in: connecting the public with reservists' businesses.
Business in Uniform: a safety net for reservists' businesses
Business in Uniform was founded to provide a support framework for the businesses of self-employed reservists, and to prevent the economic collapse of those who were away for long periods because of their service. The venture built a portal that brings together about 600 reservists' businesses, and developed "Bot in Uniform", a tool for finding businesses owned by reservists.
Today the venture supports about 2,000 self-employed reservists, men and women from all over the country who own micro and small businesses. It drives customers to the businesses through paid and organic promotion, builds a community that creates partnerships among the businesses themselves, and raises public awareness of buying from them. According to the venture, dozens of new requests to join arrive every day, and it is working to expand the portal and to establish a "seal of approval" for reservist-owned businesses. The venture has 50 regular volunteers.
Employees: is it legal to fire a reservist?
No. According to Kol Zchut, it is forbidden to fire an employee because of their reserve duty, because they were called up, or because of the length and frequency of their service. During reserve duty it is forbidden to fire them for any reason at all.
After more than two consecutive days of service, the protection continues for another 30 days from the end of service, unless a permit has been granted by the Employment Committee at the Ministry of Defense. Those who served 60 days or more during set periods, between October 7, 2023 and the end of 2025, are protected for 60 days from the end of service. Anyone who runs into a problem can contact the "Zchut BeKalut" (rights made easy) hotline at *5922.
How do you return to work after long reserve duty?
Some reservists return to a workplace that is waiting for them. Others discover that the job no longer exists, that the market has changed, or that they themselves want a new direction. According to Kol Zchut, there are several official tools for this stage:
- Career counseling through the career center of the Miluim 360 center, for those who served at least 120 days in combat roles from October 7, 2023 onward. The counseling includes help claiming your rights, coaching, workshops and assessment centers.
- A voucher for vocational training and career guidance through the Ministry of Labor, for those who served at least 45 days under Tzav 8 in combat roles in 2025, under the conditions that were set. Using the benefit depends on a policy on the subject being published.
- Help funding emotional, mental health or complementary therapy: those who served 30 days or more under Tzav 8 can receive a one-time reimbursement of up to NIS 1,500 for individual, couples or family therapy.
From the Front Line to a Contract: from job search to a signed contract
From the Front Line to a Contract accompanies reservists, men and women, on the way to a new job. The venture was born when the younger brother of its founder, Yarin Sultan, came back from long reserve duty and found himself on a new front: looking for work.
That gave rise to the "parallel posting" model: a team of opinion leaders on LinkedIn post at the same time about reservists who are looking for work. It quickly became clear that exposure is only the beginning, so the venture adds personal guidance, a listening ear and professional tools. According to the venture, to date 50% of the reservists it has accompanied have already signed a new employment contract.
And what about those who are still in the field?
Support for reservists sometimes begins even before they come home. Several ventures at Alumot support soldiers and the reserve forces themselves:
- Aviv's Pizza: a mobile pizzeria for soldiers in the field, in memory of Aviv Baram of Kfar Aza, who was killed on October 7. Everything is done by volunteers. In 2025 there were about 20 pizza evenings, each feeding 50 to 70 soldiers, mostly at outposts on the northern and eastern borders.
- Battalion 1871: support for the establishment of the Hefer 1871 Battalion, an infantry battalion in the Yehonatan Brigade that was formed in the wake of the Swords of Iron war, and care for the welfare of the soldiers who join it. In its first year the battalion was named an outstanding battalion at the division level.
- Support for the Gilad Division (Division 96): support for a select reserve force deployed nationwide, intended to provide an immediate operational response.
How can you help reservists?
You do not need to be a large organization to help. Here are a few simple ways:
- Buy from reservists' businesses. The Business in Uniform portal brings together about 600 businesses owned by reservists.
- Share and recommend reservists who are looking for work, and open up your professional network.
- Hire reservists in your organization, and get to know their rights as employees.
- Donate or volunteer with ventures working in this field. A donation to a venture operating at Alumot is a donation to the Alumot nonprofit, and it is tax-deductible under Section 46. We expanded on this in our article Section 46: everything you need to know about tax-deductible donations.
And anyone coming back from the field carrying an emotional burden does not have to cope alone. We wrote about tools for community and personal coping in our article Emotional resilience after October 7.
How is Alumot connected to this?
Alumot is a home for social startups. Since 2012, more than 60 ventures have been established within it across the country. All the ventures mentioned in this article operate inside the nonprofit and receive full organizational, financial and legal support from it, with no need to found a nonprofit of their own.
Many of these ventures were born out of the war, from people who saw a need up close and decided to act. If you have an idea like this too, you can start from there. We wrote about the path in our article How to build a social venture the right way.
Frequently asked questions
What is Tzav 8?
Tzav 8 is a call-up for reserve duty under an emergency order. Many of the grants and benefits set since October 7, 2023 depend on service under Tzav 8 and on the number of days served.
Does a self-employed person need to file a claim to receive reserve duty compensation?
According to Kol Zchut, self-employed people who pay their insurance contributions regularly should receive the compensation automatically. Compensation for a drop in business income is separate, and is submitted to the Israel Tax Authority.
Where can I check which benefits I am entitled to?
The Kol Zchut website has a full guide for reservists and a system for checking eligibility based on personal details. You can also contact the "Zchut BeKalut" hotline at *5922, and the IDF reserves website.
How do I join the Business in Uniform portal?
Contact details for the venture appear on the Business in Uniform page. The portal is for the businesses of self-employed reservists, men and women, from all over the country.
Can I donate to these ventures with a tax benefit?
Yes. The ventures operate inside the Alumot nonprofit, and a donation to them is tax-deductible under Section 46.
Want to support reservists and their businesses? Get to know the ventures, and start with Business in Uniform.
The information on reservists' rights is general information, updated according to the Kol Zchut website for 2026, and does not replace checking with the relevant authorities.