That morning, Nadav had gone fishing and was murdered alongside two friends his age, Tal Keren and Or Taasa. Dor recounted that Nadav sent a video of rockets fired toward them and called to say he and his friends were packing their car to return home. “I was supposed to go fishing with him that day, but I stayed back at the last minute because he was with his friends,” Dor said.
“Nadav was a pure soul in our crazy country,” Dor recounted. “He didn’t care what people thought or how hard he’d need to work to achieve his goals—he just did what he loved. His honest, fearless presence drew me to him constantly. I just wanted to be near him.”
Nadav built his business himself, with Dor assisting in photography and marketing. “After the shiva (Jewish mourning period), I spoke to him in my heart at night,” Dor shared. “I asked myself, what would his final wish be? The answer was clear: to continue his way. He wanted to ‘bring wood to life,’ to take a dead material and infuse it with vitality.”
About six months after Nadav’s murder, having completed his reserve service, Dor felt compelled to revive Nadav’s business. Since then, he has crafted handmade wooden signs, candlesticks, mezuzahs, wine holders and more, each piece carrying Nadav’s story.
Dor emphasized that the business is dedicated entirely to honoring and preserving Nadav’s memory. “Everything goes toward commemoration. Like Nadav, I take nothing for myself. I love sharing his story with buyers—it’s inseparable from the experience. I feel he lives through me. Every creation is a piece of him.”
Reflecting on what Nadav might say about this effort, Dor believed, “He’d tell me, ‘Wow, you’ve taken my business to the next level. I’m thrilled part of me continues through you. Every time you craft something from wood, you’re reliving me too.’”
“Nadav’s Tree of Life” reflects a poignant response to loss, channeling grief into creation. Dor’s commitment ensures Nadav’s passion endures, transforming raw wood into symbols of life and memory, even as it underscores the profound void left by his brother’s death. This endeavor not only preserves Nadav’s legacy but also offers a small measure of solace in a community still reeling from the October 7 tragedy.