Rick Bloom has a special passion for dogs.
So, when Bloom – an attorney, CPA, and financial adviser from Franklin – heard about a therapy dog program for Israel’s soldiers, he was sold, paws down.
“I love dogs, and I know the power that dogs have,” said Bloom, a University of Michigan Law School alum. “And when they told me I could name the dogs after special dogs in my life, it was like hitting a grand slam in the bottom of the 9th to win the World Series.”
In the 20 months since the beginning of the Iron Swords War in Gaza, loss and suffering are a daily fact of life in Israel. Soldiers have paid a high price, from their very lives to their mental and emotional health. Not surprisingly, PTSD (Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder) is tearing apart the veterans of this war.
As a result of this growing health crisis in Israel, the Friends of the Israel Defense Forces (FIDF) initiated the PTSD Therapy Dog Program, which pairs specially trained dogs with IDF veterans grappling with emotional trauma. These therapy dogs offer not just comfort, but also a lifeline—helping veterans reengage with daily life and reconnect with their families.
FIDF is the sole authorized U.S. partner of the IDF, supplying the non-combatant needs of soldiers, from hygiene kits to medical equipment, bereavement care, and PTSD counseling. While Bloom supports many FIDF initiatives, he was moved in a powerful way by the PTSD Therapy Dog Program.
“It hit me in the heart,” said Bloom, who became a CPA after earning his accounting degree with honors from Michigan State University in 1976. “When I heard that FIDF was training dogs to help soldiers with PTSD, I knew I had to be part of it.”
For Bloom, he knew the healing power of canine friends.
“A few years ago, I had a heart issue, and I was in the hospital,” he explained. “The hospital had a dog that they would bring to the rooms, and whenever the dog came to see me, my spirits just rose. And when they said they were going to start this program to help the soldiers, it just hit me right in the middle of the heart. I have to do this.”
That experience inspired Bloom’s decision to fund not one, but two therapy dogs, naming them Alfie and Jadah – tributes to the most beloved pups in his life. Alfie was named after his childhood poodle, who accompanied Bloom from his bar mitzvah to law school. Jadah is the name of his current Labradoodle, and also represents an acronym: Jewish, American, Dad (in memory of his late father), Alfie, and Hilda (in honor of his mom).
On a recent visit to Israel, Bloom had the opportunity to meet both the puppy, Alfie, who is still in training, along with Jadah, and the soldier who received her, Eyal. The soldier, once housebound by PTSD, now leads a more independent and joyful life thanks to Jadah’s help.
“He told me that before Jadah, he could not leave the house. Now he’s going places, reconnecting with his family, even playing with his kids,” Bloom shared.
“I got to meet him, and I realized I was more the beneficiary than the donor. I got to see, in real time, what my contribution did. That’s a rare and incredible gift.”
The soldier even continues to send Bloom pictures of Jadah with his children, a visual reminder of how one act of generosity can ripple through a family and a community.
“There are lots of causes worth supporting, but if you love dogs and you love Israel, there’s no better way to make a difference,” Bloom said. “You’re giving a soldier a lifeline, and you’re giving a dog a purpose. You’ll feel great knowing you’ve helped a family, supported a veteran, and honored the bond between humans and dogs.”
To learn more or contribute to the PTSD Therapy Dog Program, visit BlessIsraelsSoldiers.org.
So, when Bloom – an attorney, CPA, and financial adviser from Franklin – heard about a therapy dog program for Israel’s soldiers, he was sold, paws down.
“I love dogs, and I know the power that dogs have,” said Bloom, a University of Michigan Law School alum. “And when they told me I could name the dogs after special dogs in my life, it was like hitting a grand slam in the bottom of the 9th to win the World Series.”
In the 20 months since the beginning of the Iron Swords War in Gaza, loss and suffering are a daily fact of life in Israel. Soldiers have paid a high price, from their very lives to their mental and emotional health. Not surprisingly, PTSD (Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder) is tearing apart the veterans of this war.
As a result of this growing health crisis in Israel, the Friends of the Israel Defense Forces (FIDF) initiated the PTSD Therapy Dog Program, which pairs specially trained dogs with IDF veterans grappling with emotional trauma. These therapy dogs offer not just comfort, but also a lifeline—helping veterans reengage with daily life and reconnect with their families.
FIDF is the sole authorized U.S. partner of the IDF, supplying the non-combatant needs of soldiers, from hygiene kits to medical equipment, bereavement care, and PTSD counseling. While Bloom supports many FIDF initiatives, he was moved in a powerful way by the PTSD Therapy Dog Program.
“It hit me in the heart,” said Bloom, who became a CPA after earning his accounting degree with honors from Michigan State University in 1976. “When I heard that FIDF was training dogs to help soldiers with PTSD, I knew I had to be part of it.”
For Bloom, he knew the healing power of canine friends.
“A few years ago, I had a heart issue, and I was in the hospital,” he explained. “The hospital had a dog that they would bring to the rooms, and whenever the dog came to see me, my spirits just rose. And when they said they were going to start this program to help the soldiers, it just hit me right in the middle of the heart. I have to do this.”
That experience inspired Bloom’s decision to fund not one, but two therapy dogs, naming them Alfie and Jadah – tributes to the most beloved pups in his life. Alfie was named after his childhood poodle, who accompanied Bloom from his bar mitzvah to law school. Jadah is the name of his current Labradoodle, and also represents an acronym: Jewish, American, Dad (in memory of his late father), Alfie, and Hilda (in honor of his mom).
On a recent visit to Israel, Bloom had the opportunity to meet both the puppy, Alfie, who is still in training, along with Jadah, and the soldier who received her, Eyal. The soldier, once housebound by PTSD, now leads a more independent and joyful life thanks to Jadah’s help.
“He told me that before Jadah, he could not leave the house. Now he’s going places, reconnecting with his family, even playing with his kids,” Bloom shared.
“I got to meet him, and I realized I was more the beneficiary than the donor. I got to see, in real time, what my contribution did. That’s a rare and incredible gift.”
The soldier even continues to send Bloom pictures of Jadah with his children, a visual reminder of how one act of generosity can ripple through a family and a community.
“There are lots of causes worth supporting, but if you love dogs and you love Israel, there’s no better way to make a difference,” Bloom said. “You’re giving a soldier a lifeline, and you’re giving a dog a purpose. You’ll feel great knowing you’ve helped a family, supported a veteran, and honored the bond between humans and dogs.”
To learn more or contribute to the PTSD Therapy Dog Program, visit BlessIsraelsSoldiers.org.
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