Rabbi Leo Dee, whose wife, Lucy, and two daughters, Maia and Rina, were murdered by Hamas terrorists in April 2023, remarried on Sunday.
Dee, who lives in Efrat, married Toronto-born Aliza Teplitsky in a ceremony conducted by two Efrat-based rabbis, Shlomo Kimche and Yair Binstock. Dee, Kimche, and Binstock all have familial ties to the UK.
Musician Shlomo Katz provided the music at the ceremony, with a surprise appearance from IDF Chief Cantor Lt.-Col. Shai Abramson.
Dee's two surviving daughters, Keren and Tali, spoke during the ceremony in memory of Lucy and affirmed their support for their father's marriage to Aliza Teplitsky.
Dee has taken up a role as an inspirational speaker on the topic of resilience, including penning two books, On Faith & Prayer and On Grief & Healing, following the terror attack.
Teplitsky moved to Israel in 2005, worked on the construction of Jerusalem's Light Rail system, designed exhibits for the Israel Museum, organized tour groups, and now manages a customer care team at a hi-tech company in Tel Aviv.
The newlyweds will live in Efrat with Dee's three surviving children.
The terrorists responsible for killing Dee's first wife and two daughters were killed by the IDF in May 2023.
Police arrest Rabbi Leo Dee on Temple Mount
Israel Police officers apprehended Dee on the Temple Mount on Sunday morning when he ascended ahead of his wedding.
“This morning, I found myself standing on the Temple Mount. Tonight I will be standing under the chuppah, smashing a glass to remember the destruction of our holiest place. That glass is supposed to symbolize brokenness. But here’s the thing I’ve learned in the two-plus years since the tragedy that took my wife and two young daughters: commemorating brokenness is never enough,” Dee told The Jerusalem Post.
He was held by police after wearing tefillin as part of morning prayers and was released after receiving a summons for a hearing.
Footage from the scene on Sunday morning shows Dee dancing and singing in celebration in the Temple Mount plaza, donning the tefillin.
Sarah Ben-Nun, Yonah Jeremy Bob, and Efrat Forsher contributed to this report.