Dalia Lemkus survived 2006 attack, but was murdered in another stabbing. The 26-year-old from Tekoa, who was killed in the Alon Shvut stabbing attack, was also lightly wounded in another Gush Etzion stabbing attack in February 2006.
Shoshana, the elder sister of Dalia Lemkus OBD visited her sister’s grave on Sunday, the 29th birthday that Dalia never celebrated. She was accompanied on her visit to the Tekoa Cemetery in Gush Etziyon by activists from OneFamily, an organization supporting and accompanying bereaved families. As she does every year since the murder of her sister, Shoshana brought to the grave Dalia’s favorite chocolate, a gift Dalia would buy for herself every year as an own birthday present.Dalia Lemkus was murdered in November 2014 when she was on her way to volunteer for the night shift at the Yad Sara charity’s branch in Tekoa. A terrorist aimed his minivan at a bus stop near the entrance to Alon Shvut. When his car struck a cement post placed to prevent such attacks, the terrorist stepped out of the car, stabbing and killing Dalia.
During Dalia’s funeral, Shoshana eulogized: “My kid sister, how joyous was our home when you were born. We miss you, Dalia. I love you, when will you be back? I asked that you babysit my daughter and instead, here we are accompanying you on your final road. In your heart and soul you are with us. There are so many more experiences I want to share with you.”
Dalia worked as an occupational therapist in kindergartens in Kiryat Gat and loved working with children. She also volunteered at the Tekoa branch of Yad Sarah (which loans of medical and rehabilitative equipment and other services for homebound and elderly).Dalia loved to bake cakes with her mother. She liked to help brides look beautiful by doing their makeup for them before their weddings. She was just getting started in life after finishing college – a kind, giving young woman looking forward to marriage and creating her own family.
Dalia’s family made aliyah to Israel from South Africa over 30 years ago and had lived in Tekoa for 15 years. She was the eldest of six siblings. She had previously been lightly wounded in another stabbing attack at the Gush Etzion junction in February 2006, at the age of 17.
