On September 21, 2026, an interview with Alex Gorelik, a reservist of the IDF, former representative of the Jewish Agency in Ukraine, and volunteer of the Israeli organization Strong Heart, was released on the YouTube channel of Israeli military analyst Grigory Tamar.
Author: Stas Shifer, NANews
The conversation, published under the title “The War Doesn’t End at Home! How Israeli Soldiers Helped Ukraine in the War. Tamar and Gorelik,” turned out to be significantly broader than the stated topic. In half an hour, the interlocutors covered the path from the Ukrainian-Polish border in the spring of 2022 to the events of October 7, 2023, in Israel, from voluntary assistance to Ukrainian soldiers to the psychological rehabilitation of Israeli reservists.
This interview is about people for whom helping Ukraine and defending Israel did not become two different stories.
From Kharkiv — to the border with Ukraine
Alex Gorelik repatriated to Israel from Moscow more than 30 years ago. He served in the Givati infantry brigade, then served in the reserves, including in the Gaza Division units. Later, he returned to service in the 98th IDF Division.
A special place in his biography is occupied by Ukraine. Working as an emissary of the Jewish Agency, which deals with connections with Jewish communities and repatriation to Israel, Gorelik was involved in youth programs in Kharkiv. His connections with this city have lasted for decades.
When the full-scale Russian invasion began on February 24, 2022, he offered his help to the Jewish Agency. In the first days, he took phone calls from Ukraine and soon went to Poland.
Initially, Gorelik managed the work of one of the Warsaw hotels that received refugees. Then he found himself directly at the border.
According to him, he saw thousands of people there who were walking through the frost, trying to escape the war. The initial task — to help Jews heading to Israel — very quickly ceased to be the only one.
Gorelik recalls that it was impossible to divide people into those who had the right to help and the rest. It was necessary to organize accommodation, heating, transport, and evacuation for everyone who was in trouble.
In the interview, he describes huge refugee reception centers in Poland, designed for thousands of people: some simultaneously accommodated 3–4 thousand people, the largest — up to 11 thousand. In the early days, chaos reigned, security problems arose, and only the joint work of volunteers, the Polish police, and the army allowed order to be established.
Israeli volunteers, including people with military experience, helped unite disparate groups, coordinate transport, and find places to stay overnight.
Israel helped Ukraine not only officially
One of the most interesting parts of the conversation is devoted to the question that has caused controversy for several years: did Israel help Ukraine enough?
Gorelik believes that state aid could have been more extensive, although he acknowledges the existence of political and military constraints.
But he suggests looking at what happened beyond official statements.
In particular, the reservist claims that after the war began on October 7, he discovered a shortage of bulletproof vests in his unit and later learned that part of the equipment had been transferred to Ukraine. This is his personal testimony, not officially confirmed information from the IDF about a specific supply.
He also talks about an Israeli acquaintance who went to Ukraine, trained people without military training for two months, and then participated in combat operations with them. The name of this person is intentionally not mentioned in the interview.
The interlocutors also discuss the Israeli field hospital “Kohav Meir,” opened in the spring of 2022 in Mostyska, Lviv region. The hospital was organized with the participation of Israeli government structures and medical specialists. According to the Israeli Foreign Ministry, about 7,000 patients received assistance there.
The hospital was named after Golda Meir, a former Prime Minister of Israel, born in Kyiv.
This is the important feature of Israeli-Ukrainian relations. Behind the disputes between governments, people who act independently, relying on professional experience, long-standing connections, and personal understanding of responsibility, often go unnoticed.
What the armies of the two countries could learn
Grigory Tamar, who himself has military service and instructor experience, recalls that back in 2015, he conducted training in military field medicine in Kryvyi Rih. Later, he participated in the training of Ukrainian police officers using Israeli methods of dealing with acute stress reactions.
From this experience grew the idea that Tamar once again voices in the interview: Israel and Ukraine should develop permanent programs for the exchange of military specialists.
The conversation does not necessarily have to start with sniper training or combat training. Military medicine, rescue operations, the work of radar units, assistance to people with combat trauma — these are areas in which both countries have significant practical experience.
The main result of such cooperation, Tamar says, is not only new knowledge but also professional trust between people who can then interact in a crisis situation.
NANews — News of Israel | Nikk.Agency has repeatedly drawn attention to the fact that the relations between Ukraine and Israel are formed not only by diplomatic decisions. In the material about the help of the Jewish community of Kharkiv to the residents of Ukraine, another side of these relations is shown — human solidarity, preserved during the war.
October 7: the war came to Israel
The second part of the interview is much more personal.
Gorelik recalls the morning of October 7, 2023, when Hamas terrorists invaded the southern regions of Israel, attacked settlements and military facilities, killed civilians, and took hostages.
Seeing the first reports, he packed his things, took his weapon, and headed to his place of service. Soon, an order came to report to the base.
He talks about the first hours of mobilization, the lack of reliable information, clashes between soldiers and terrorists, and personal losses.
One of his acquaintances, Gilad, died saving children from a grenade. Gorelik recalls that he could not reach him for several days and only later learned what had happened.
It is especially difficult to talk about the consequences of what he saw.
According to the reservist, the experienced returns even when it seems that a person has already coped. Sometimes a movie or a single scene is enough to experience a strong emotional reaction again.
It is here that the conversation naturally turns to the project to which the final part of the video is dedicated.
Strong Heart: when returning home does not yet mean the end of the war
Gorelik talks about the Israeli non-profit initiative Strong Heart, which helps soldiers cope with the consequences of combat stress.
One of the program’s methods is psychological support with the participation of horses.
Classes are held at the “Aviv” farm near Ekron. They involve groups of up to 20 soldiers, mainly people from one unit who have served and fought together.
According to Gorelik, the five-hour classes include communication with horses, breathing exercises, trust and team interaction tasks, and discussions of experiences with psychologists. Specialists also try to determine who needs further professional help.
According to the information he provided, more than 300 soldiers participated in the program over the year.
It is important that such classes should not be perceived as a universal treatment for post-traumatic stress disorder. Their task is to help participants reduce tension, restore contact with others, and, if necessary, seek specialized help.
The very idea of the program stems from a problem well known to both Israel and Ukraine: a soldier can return home physically but continue to live inside the war.
Gorelik emphasizes that not every soldier is ready to independently seek help from a psychologist. For many, admitting the need for help is difficult. Therefore, it is especially important to create conditions in which a person can take the first step without feeling weak or ashamed.
Why this interview is worth watching for both Ukrainians and Israelis
Grigory Tamar and Alex Gorelik do not claim to explain all the contradictions between Israel’s policy and Ukraine’s expectations in half an hour.
Instead, they show what the relations between the two countries look like on a human level.
Israelis saved Ukrainian refugees, worked as doctors, trained soldiers, and helped those affected by the Russian invasion. After October 7, many of these people found themselves at war, and today some need rehabilitation.
The Ukrainian experience in military medicine, societal resilience, and dealing with the consequences of hostilities is also significant for Israel. And the longer the wars continue, the more relevant the conversation about exchanging knowledge becomes, not just weapons or official statements.
At the end of the interview, Gorelik reminds that both countries faced a brutal enemy and wishes everyone victory and a safe return home.
It is with this phrase that one wants to end the presentation of the video. Because behind the dry words “military cooperation,” “humanitarian aid,” and “rehabilitation” are specific people — those who helped others, who continue to fight, and who are just learning to live a peaceful life again.
Watch the interview and support Strong Heart
The full recording of the conversation between Grigory Tamar and Alex Gorelik is available on YouTube.
For those who want to learn more about the work of Strong Heart, the interview authors provided the organization’s contacts:
- Website: strongheart-horses.com
- Instagram: strong_heart_initiative
Contacts are provided according to the video description; before making donations, it is necessary to verify the current details directly with the organization.
Material prepared based on the interview from September 21, 2026. Information about personal experiences, specific military supplies, and volunteer activities is conveyed from the words of the conversation participants.