Picking Up the Pieces: Three Young Women Share Their Journey of Healing After Losing Partners to War
Though their lives were shattered by the sudden loss of their partners in the war, three young women are finding ways to heal and honor the memories of the men they loved.
Since the onset of the war, hundreds of partners have joined the ranks of the bereaved. Tamar, Roni, and Anabel are three women who lost their partners in battle, and they are now sharing their journeys of grief, resilience, and the difficult process of continuing to live after life as they knew it has stopped.
The lives of Tamar Abruskin, Roni Dishi, and Anabel Gandal changed forever with a single phone call. Each lost the person they considered their partner, their best friend, and their future. Tamar’s partner, Major Shila Har Even, was killed on October 7 while leading his troops in a heroic defense of the Nachal Oz area. Tamar, who had only moved in with Shila days before, recalls the intense, immediate connection they shared as both individuals and as commanders in the military. She continues to honor his memory by serving as his witness, ensuring his light is shared with the world, and she is now preparing to start a new chapter while keeping Shila forever in her heart.
Roni Dishi’s partner, Staff Sergeant Eitan Karlsbrun, fell in Rafah in June 2024. After Eitan’s death, Roni chose to enlist in the military, eventually serving at the Givati training base, the same place where Eitan began his path. She describes this as a closing of a circle, finding strength in being surrounded by the legacy Eitan left behind. She speaks openly to soldiers about his character and his immense heart, finding joy in sharing his story despite the profound sadness of his absence.
Anabel Gandal, who lost her partner Sergeant Shoham Menachem in Jabalia in July 2025, describes the difficulty of a future once filled with plans for travel and building a family. Shoham, the son of a Yom Kippur War prisoner, viewed his service as a personal mission. Anabel continues to process her grief by keeping Shoham’s memory alive through reminders of his life and their shared dreams.
These three women, who never knew each other, are now connected by the same pain and the same determination. They are learning to navigate a world without their partners, finding meaning in honoring those who were lost, and discovering that the heart is large enough to hold both the sorrow of the past and the hope for a future. Their resilience serves as a testament to the strength required to survive such a loss, and their stories are a reminder of the human cost behind the defense of the nation.
