Honorable Discharge: The Jewish Agency for Israel awarded grants to 26 newly discharged lone soldiers at a ceremony in Jerusalem Wednesday (January 27). The soldiers, who made aliyah on their own from around the world, all saw active service in Gaza in the recent Operation Cast Lead. The $500 grant per soldiers is part of the Jewish Agency's "Wings" program for lone soldiers, which assists in easing the entry into civilian life. The money will help the soldiers to cover their immediate expenses, such as rent, until they receive army compensation and find employment. In 2008, 250 soldiers received this scholarship. There are some 2,500 lone soldiers, many of them recent immigrants, serving in the Israel Defense Forces.