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Rabbi who lost wife and daughters in 2023 terror attack announces engagement
Rabbi Leo Dee says he and Aliza Teplitsky are “delighted to announce” their engagement, two years after family tragedy
Rabbi Leo Dee, who lost his wife and two daughters in a Hamas terror attack during Passover in 2023, has announced his engagement to Aliza Teplitsky.
The British-born rabbi, formerly of Radlett United Synagogue, shared the news in a short statement: “We are delighted to announce our engagement. Aliza Teplitsky and Leo,” Dee, wrote, adding in Hebrew: “For everything, G-d, we thank you.”
Dee became a symbol of strength and spiritual resilience after the attack, which took place near the Hamra Junction in the West Bank on 7 April 2023. His daughters, Maia, 20, and Rina, 15, were shot dead at the scene. His wife, Lucy, 48, critically wounded, died in hospital three days later.
The family had moved to Israel in 2014, settling in the Jordan Valley. They had been travelling to a holiday destination when Hamas gunmen opened fire on their car near the Hamra settlement. The murders shocked the country and made headlines around the world.
In the aftermath, Rabbi Dee’s eulogies and public calls for unity and love resonated across Israel and the diaspora. His decision to donate Lucy’s organs saved multiple lives.
A month later, the two terrorists behind the attack – Hassan Katnani and Ma’ad Masri – were killed in a joint IDF and Shin Bet raid in Nablus. Weapons found at the scene included two M16s and a Kalashnikov.
Now, more than two years on, Dee is building a new future. The engagement to Teplitsky has been met with a wave of support, with many praising his courage to move forward while honouring his past.
He remains the father of three surviving children. No wedding date has been announced.
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