Article content continued

“We want them to understand this is not a Hollywood movie,” said Yair Ran, the program’s North American director. “They are not going to be Rambo. The army is hard and complicated.”

His group helps organize flights and accommodation, and holds meetings for parents. Arrangements include living together on a kibbutz, a collective community, learning Hebrew and adjusting to life in a new country.

Garin Tzabar does not do any recruiting. Rather, it helps young people who are interested and makes sure they are there for the right reasons.

“If someone comes to tell me that he wants to join the IDF to kill Arabs, he is not going to get inside,” Mr. Ran said.

Ms. Broer says she had an “inner feeling” and wanted to give back to Israel, after a year studying at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem.

“A lot of Israelis are like, ‘Why would you leave Canada? It’s so easy there,’ ” she said. “They don’t get why I’m here.”

The woman said she now feels a “deeper connection” with Israel than Canada. “It’s my home and I have to protect my home.”

Ms. Broer is stationed in the West Bank, where she issues permits to Palestinians wanting to travel to Israel. On weekends, she returns the kibbutz, where she hangs out at the pool and bars with other lone soldiers from the United States, Kenya, Australia and Europe.

She says her work can be nerve-racking.

“It’s scary. Now I’m a part of something bigger and whether someone knows my personal beliefs or not, they look at me as the IDF, they don’t look at me as Orli Broer, a Canadian from Toronto,” she said.