Leah Levine

Nov 1, 2004 - Leah Levine, 64, of Givatayim was one of three people were killed in a suicide bombing at the Carmel Market in central Tel Aviv.

Shortly after 11:00 on Monday morning, as the outdoor Carmel Market in central Tel Aviv was filled with shoppers, a 16-year-old suicide bomber, identified as Amar Alfar, 16, from the Askar refugee camp in Nablus, detonated himself. Three people were killed and over 30 wounded. The blast went off at a food stall near the intersection of Rambam and Hacarmel Streets. The Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine claimed responsibility for the attack, carried out by a 16-year-old youth from Nablus.

Leah Levine was a Holocaust survivor who immigrated to Israel by herself as a child. Just four years ago, she learned that her brother, the only other member of her family to have survived the Holocaust, was living in Russia. It was only after she learned from her brother the exact date of her birth that she began celebrating her birthday. Following an emotional meeting, her brother immigrated to Israel.

Levine, who studied at the Wingate Institute, taught sports for many years in schools. Aldema Sidi, a close friend and neighbor, spoke of her devotion to her four children and five grandchildren.

A keen fan of Israeli folk dancing, Leah worked for many years in the Givatayim municipality and after retirement continued to teach senior citizens folk dancing. A short while before she was killed, Leah left a folk dance course at the Beit Hamoreh community center. She was on her way to her daughter's house where she was supposed to watch over her grandchildren when she was killed.

Leah Levine was buried in the Yarkon Cemetery. She is survived by her husband Yossi, three daughters, Rachel, Merav and Michal, her son, Yaron, her brother, and five grandchildren.