Where is Moishi? The Canine Unit Document Search for the Missing Teen

It's not easy to speak with Yekutiel Ben-Yaakov, commander of the Canine Unit (58). "Just a moment," he tells us moments after we begin the interview, "I have a missing person case in central Israel. I'm initiating a search and will get back to you." Amid the numerous calls he receives, we manage to uncover the fascinating story of the Canine Unit and the extensive hundred-day search for the boy Moishi Kleinerman from Modi'in Illit, whose trace unfortunately hasn't been found.

Ben-Yaakov has been living in Israel for roughly thirty years, having immigrated from the US out of love for the land. With a sense of mission, he decided to establish, together with some other idealists, the Canine Unit. The reason for its establishment was the dire security situation in Israel at that time. "The Second Intifada was raging in the country, with attacks occurring almost daily, and we understood that we couldn't just sit idly by," he says. Ben-Yaakov admits, "I'm a believing Jew, and I had no doubt about what I had to do in light of these events. I realized we needed to establish the unit."

Even when deciding to establish the unit, it never occurred to them in the Canine Unit that they should replace the security forces. "Our understanding was that the security system is important, but it couldn't place a police officer on every fence or settlement, so we decided to harness the spirit of volunteerism in the Jewish nation for the protection and defense of settlements, particularly those on the outskirts, such as throughout Yehuda and Shomron. Thus, with Hashem's help, we managed to prevent attacks against Jews."

The Dogs from the Netherlands, the Volunteers from Israel

You mentioned the unit engaged extensively in securing settlements. How is this accomplished?

"To secure a settlement, we imported several skilled dogs from the Netherlands, meant to detect intruders hiding near the settlement and to deter potential terrorists from approaching. We accurately assessed that a volunteer patrolling with a dog around a settlement could alert and deter, as well as neutralize and prevent bloodshed. This concept was also based on the understanding that terrorists didn't suddenly decide to carry out attacks, but conducted surveillance in the area days or a day prior. Having a search dog in the vicinity for long hours daily was invaluable in thwarting these terrorists' plans."

Did it work in the field?

"We quickly discovered that the dogs we brought effectively reversed the element of surprise. Instead of being surprised by terrorists, they were the ones surprised."

How did you operate after detecting an intruder in the area?

"Once there was suspicion of a terrorist in the area, we would call the military forces, who illuminated the area and were able, not infrequently, to capture the terrorists. There were instances where no terrorists were found as they fled, but our activities sharpened the understanding within the security system that there was a concern terrorists would attempt to infiltrate the settlement, thus increasing security in the area."

Despite the idealistic spirit and harsh security atmosphere of that time, the unit was established without the residents of Yehuda and Shomron placing much hope in it. The founders of the unit, relying on volunteers and funding from good citizens, worked hard to establish the first canine handler course, which included only 12 volunteers, simultaneously facing doubts from their immediate surroundings. "Most people around us expressed skepticism about the necessity and capability of the unit to handle attacks and the difficult security situation," Ben-Yaakov recalls.

But then, while Ben-Yaakov was abroad to raise funds for the unit, he received a call from Israel informing him that the unit had thwarted an attack for the first time. Ben-Yaakov gets emotional reminiscing about that call, returning suddenly to those days a decade ago. "It was April 2001. Several terrorists had positioned themselves near the Tapuach junction, armed. Reserve soldiers were guarding the junction as snipers opened heavy fire on them. The bullets whistled around the reservists, who couldn’t identify the source of the fire that came from the nearby valley. Fortunately, the firefight ended without casualties, but there was a severe concern that the terrorists would try to reach it again later.

"As a result, extensive searches were conducted in the area, with the canine handler course instructors joining the mission. They brought three dogs, who were actually the unit's first dogs, and searched the area with security forces from the Shin Bet and police. Indeed, the dogs managed to identify the area where the terrorists lay in ambush. From there, the way to the terrorists’ homes and their capture was especially easy."

Ben-Yaakov returned to Israel excited, but only when he was on his way home did he understand the dogs' value in saving lives. It happened when he was passing by a soldier's checkpoint in Yehuda and Shomron. "They checked that I wasn’t a threat, and after hearing who I was, they told me with excitement: 'Know that thanks to your dogs, we survived.' It turned out these were the soldiers who had defended the junction on that fateful day.

"Since then, many terror incidents have been prevented and terrorists captured thanks to our activities," he says. One of them was a kidnapping attempt at the Rechelim junction a few years ago. "It’s one of the main intersections before the village of Tapuach. Three girls waited there when a terrorist vehicle passed by. The terrorists kidnapped the girls, but fortunately, they managed to escape the vehicle, and then—again by a stroke of luck—a police jeep passed by. The girls managed to get the officers’ attention, who, after hearing what had happened, began chasing the terrorists. Thanks to the officers’ resourcefulness, they managed to capture the terrorists, but when the officers asked them where their weapon was, they didn’t answer and pretended not to speak Hebrew.

"At this point, our handler arrived on the scene. He unleashed the dog on the terrorists, and this was quite an intimidating dog, so when the terrorists saw it, they believed the dog was ready to charge them. As a result, they stopped deceiving the forces and began speaking Hebrew, even directing the forces precisely where their weapon was located. We had planned to have the dogs search for the weapon, but in the end, they arrived at the solution before conducting the actual search."

Drones, Divers, Dogs, and Rappelling

Alongside Ben-Yaakov operates Aharon Streicher, who also serves as the spokesperson for the Canine Unit. "As soon as I heard about the unit, I understood I had to join," he tells us. Since then, he’s been involved in numerous search operations conducted by the unit. "I joined the unit after its security chapter ended, which also included assisting in the search for the three boys kidnapped by Hamas, but even now—after we’ve left the security chapter—our hands are full of work, unfortunately," he notes.

What missions does the unit focus on today?

"The Canine Unit assists in locating missing individuals throughout the country. We use drones, divers, dogs, and rappelling experts capable of traversing particularly challenging paths. We begin searches after being contacted and notified of missing persons, whether the notification comes from the police or the missing person's family and friends."

"In most cases," he explains, "people go missing not due to criminal or nationalist events but because they’ve voluntarily left their homes. It could be someone with Alzheimer's who doesn’t know their way home, a demented teenager, or a child with special needs, as well as due to emotional distress. Most times when we are recruited for a search mission, it involves the most complicated cases, with most of our activities focused in the field."

The activities in the field, it turns out, differ from urban area operations. "In the instances where we do operate in urban areas, such as in central Tel Aviv, there’s no need for dogs. Instead, we interview people, check CCTV footage, and more," he adds.

What methods do you use to search for missing persons in the field?

"When searches are conducted in the field, we mainly work with dogs. For searches for missing persons, we have three types of dogs: tracking dogs, search dogs, and cadaver dogs—for the more problematic cases. The difference between them is, while a tracking dog is given a piece of the missing person's clothing to sniff in order to track their scent in the field (something done in the early search stages when the person’s scent is still fresh), as time passes, we incorporate search dogs into the operation. Search dogs are trained to scout the air and find evidence of life presence in the area. These dogs are specifically trained to identify humans so that wildlife doesn’t hinder the operation. If, Heaven forbid, several days or more pass since the disappearance, we also deploy cadaver dogs meant to find bodies.

"The unit also employs visual documentation allowing our members to know which area was scanned, who scanned a designated area, and how it was done. Additionally, every scanned area is marked with a tape indicating to other searchers that the area has already been scanned. This meticulous activity has, with the grace of Hashem, yielded results. Recently, thanks to the unit's activities, a demented woman was found 48 hours after she disappeared. In another case, we found a boy with Alzheimer's lying in the field, and thanks to the unit's activities, he was saved from death by dehydration. And unfortunately, there are missing persons found with no signs of life."

Following Moishi Kleinerman

The unit, composed of a diverse range—from religious and Haredi volunteers to secular ones—has been very busy over the past hundred days. "We are focused on the mission of searching for the missing boy Moishi Kleinerman, hoping to find him soon, healthy and whole. We began searching for him ten days after his disappearance upon the family’s request. We were the first group to arrive besides the police and started searching for the boy immediately. Since then, almost daily, our team scans the Meron area as part of the extensive search for the boy. And to be clear, despite the time that has passed, we are not giving up and are hopeful that we’ll find him soon, with Hashem's help."

"We are focused on searches rather than investigations," Streicher sighs as he refers to media reports about arrests and releases of possible suspects. "We leave the investigation of this painful case to the police. For us, as long as we know there are still areas that haven’t been thoroughly searched, we continue to look, regardless of anyone’s arrest or release."

What are you basing your search in the Meron area on?

"For us, and the police, so long as this is the last place Moishi was seen—this is where we will conduct the search for him. In fact, Kleinerman was in Meron on an Erev Shabbat Mevarchin of the month of Sivan, and since then he’s disappeared. As long as no new information about his last known location is received, we are focusing within the radius close to where he was last seen. Once we have scanned all areas around Meron thoroughly, we might consider other areas across the country, but first, we must complete as many scans as possible in the local areas, hoping to cover one hundred percent of the terrain.

"In this regard," he wishes to add, "if speaking about the last place he was seen, it is crucial the public responds to this story and any missing person's story. In Moishi's case, we notice a broad public mobilization and people call us to report he’s in other regions, or that they thought they saw him. In all the cases we’ve checked so far, it turned out not to be him.

On the number of calls he receives, Streicher says, "It can range from a few calls a day to dozens. Ultimately, his appearance is typical of a Hasidic boy, which many could mistake and think they’ve seen him somewhere. However, the bottom line is that it’s good the public is vigilant, and it’s very important for the chances of finding him as quickly as possible."

Why do you continue to search the Meron area even after a hundred days?

"It is one of the hardest search areas," explains Streicher. "There are places with very large variations in elevation between one area and another, alongside many pits and rivers. Therefore, it’s difficult, if not impossible, to conduct a comb-through search that takes over terrain areas and scans the place all at once. For this very reason, we are working in a more labor-intensive activity there to ensure we have thoroughly scanned these regions, checking each stone and thicket completely."

"It's important to emphasize," he wants to caution, "in places where there are marked hiking trails, it’s safe to walk. And indeed, many people hike there in these areas. However, in unmarked areas, it can be very dangerous. But even in marked areas, one must adhere to all safety precautions: a sun hat, meticulous preparation for the hike, and more."

Finally, how long do you estimate the searches in and around Meron will take, hoping for good news?

"We are trying to do the work in the most meticulous way possible, so we don’t miss a single stone. We have already scanned particularly extensive areas and have a little more to scan, but the main task before us is to ensure everything is well scanned, and based on the data we possess, there are still areas that haven’t been properly scanned, hoping that soon we will have good news."