A week before he was killed in the terrorist attack at the Allenby Crossing in September 2025, Sergeant Oren Hershko (20) was traveling in Greece with his father. He created an AI image of a Golden Retriever puppy sitting in a dog bed in his room and wrote to his family: "Is it too much to ask for a Golden?" A few months after his death, a dog named Goldie, of the exact breed and colors he loved, arrived at the family home in Tel Mond. "It was like a kind of legacy he left," says his mother, Michal.
Since October 7th, thousands of bereaved families have been added to the circle of grief in Israel. Alongside financial aid and support workshops, the Friends of the IDF (FIDF) sought to find an additional response—one that enters the home and assists families in their heavy mourning. The organization turned to the Therapeutic Riding and Canine Institute (TRCI) in Tel Mond, and together they created a first-of-its-kind project in Israel: "Klev L'Derech" (A Dog for the Journey) - therapeutic dogs for bereaved families.
A presence that fills the void
Michal, a teacher, shares: "We have Mocha, a Shih Tzu that Oren loved very much. When FIDF approached us, my husband Avi and I decided that this time we would take a large dog. That was the dream of Oren and his sisters, Gaia (24) and Lihi (17). They kept saying the house felt empty. We wanted a big dog that you can feel its presence when you hug it, something with weight to fill that void. Today, we feel Goldie's presence. It's grounding and provides a sense of security."
Michal only visits Oren's grave, located within walking distance of their home, with Goldie. "She comes there with us, lies patiently by the grave, and is simply present. She also wants to play and needs to go out, so you can't neglect her. She demands attention, which forces us into a healthy routine."
A silence that must be filled
"Service dog programs for PTSD have existed for years," explains Alex Ben-Melech, the project manager and a dog trainer at the institute. "But I hadn't encountered this specific idea before. It touched me personally because I also lost two friends." So far, the project has matched about 40 dogs with families in the past year alone.
The solution Ben-Melech developed involves three stages: first, the dogs are raised by dedicated foster families. Then, they undergo professional training. Finally, after getting to know the bereaved family, a precise matching process takes place based on age, energy, size, and specific needs. "I match the dog to that specific family's need. Some want a dog to go running with; others want a dog to lie down at night and rest its head on their leg. It's about filling that silence."
"Enough with death"
Dana Meir-Yung, a lawyer from Tel Aviv, is the widow of Sergeant Major Ofer Jung (39), who fell in February 2025 in a shooting attack in the northern Samaria region. Dana was left with two children, aged 3 and 2.
"A few months after Ofer was killed, our family dog passed away. I told myself, enough with death, I need to bring new life into the home for the children," Dana says. Through the project, she received Monty, a medium-sized hypoallergenic Poodle. "He is truly charming, brings joy and interest into the home. The kids love him, and sometimes it feels like he fills a bit of the emptiness I feel in the evenings."
"Bringing air back"
In Shadmot Dvora, Shirley and Tomer Schwartz lost their son, Omri, a paratrooper officer killed in an encounter in the Gaza Strip. Omri had spent a year of service at Kibbutz Be'eri and fought there on October 7th. He fell in December 2023 in northern Gaza.
The family received Sandy, a Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retriever. Their daughter, Ella, explains: "The only thing we agreed on before joining the project was that she should be able to get us out of bed and maybe bring a smile to our faces. That's what Sandy does. She makes us smile and gives back a lot of love."
Brigadier General (Res.) Liron Donnell, CEO of FIDF in Israel: "In a single moment, the lives of bereaved families stop, and the house is filled with pain and a void that cannot be filled. 'Klev L'Derech' was born from the understanding that within the fracture, there is a deep need for points of light. They don't replace those who are gone, but they do bring air back into the lungs and movement into a routine that had frozen."
