Israeli Police Seek Canadian Mother Suspected of Kidnapping Two Children Near Jerusalem

Israeli police have issued an unusual public appeal to locate Aliya Joy Hirschberg, a 29-year-old woman suspected of abducting her two young children. Hirschberg and her children, Tala Reizel, aged three, and Natan Yaakov Verona, aged one, entered Israel from Canada in August 2025 and have since disappeared. Authorities believe the trio is likely hiding in the Jerusalem area.

Hirschberg and her former partner, both Canadian citizens, are embroiled in a custody dispute. It is suspected that Hirschberg fled to Israel with the children to prevent the father from seeing them. Following a Canadian court ruling, Israeli police were ordered to search for the family. The police have released photos of Hirschberg and her children and are urging the public to assist in locating them.

The investigation is led by the Jerusalem District police, specifically the Lev HaBrita station, after receiving a complaint against Hirschberg. Police stress the urgency of finding the mother and children, who have not been seen since their arrival in Israel nearly a year ago. The public is encouraged to contact the police hotline or the investigating unit directly with any information about their whereabouts.