New Initiative Helps Bereaved Families Access Financial Assets

Thousands of Israeli families who lost loved ones in combat are struggling to navigate bureaucratic hurdles to access financial assets left behind by the fallen soldiers. To address this, Aviad Shuv, CEO of "Investments for Young People in Practice," founded "Mizmat Shahar" (Shaharnatanel's Initiative). The volunteer project assists bereaved families in locating, consolidating, and receiving all financial assets left by their loved ones in civilian financial institutions, aiming to simplify a complex and burdensome process.

Shuv was inspired to create the initiative after the death of his close friend, Major Shaharnatanel Buzaglo, who fell in Gaza on September 22, 2025, while leading a tank unit. Buzaglo, 27, was married with a pregnant wife. His mother, Osnat, approached Shuv, who specializes in finance, for help accessing her son's assets, admitting she didn't know where to begin.

Upon investigating, Shuv discovered that financial institutions were not always equipped to assist, and families often lacked the emotional strength to deal with the complex procedures following a loss. He realized this was a widespread issue, with families sitting on hundreds of thousands, or even millions, of shekels in pensions, study funds, provident funds, insurance policies, and bank accounts, which remained inaccessible due to systemic complexity and emotional distress.

"Mizmat Shahar," co-founded with partners Roi Gil and lawyer Adam Karpel, offers comprehensive, professional, and entirely free support. The initiative focuses solely on civilian financial institutions, not on claims against the IDF or Ministry of Defense. The process involves families submitting documents, a consultation, and the team meticulously mapping and handling all financial products. To date, the initiative has successfully returned over 10 million shekels to bereaved families, having fully assisted four families and currently supporting 21 others. The average turnaround time is about six weeks, with sums ranging from hundreds of thousands to millions of shekels.

Shuv emphasized that the project also provides free post-receipt guidance on managing and investing these significant sums, acknowledging that sudden wealth can also be challenging for grieving families. He hopes fewer people will need their services in the future, stating, "We are here voluntarily, hoping that as few people as possible will need us in the future."