In a powerful story of healing and hope, Hadas Loewenstern, widow of Rabbi Elisha Loewenstern HY”D, who was killed in Gaza a year and a half ago, has become engaged to Hod Reichart, whose wife Hagit passed away suddenly following childbirth a year ago.
The news was shared by Hadas on WhatsApp, where she wrote, “We are engaged,” adding that that she had originally planned to make the announcement after Tisha B’Av. But the joy and anticipation of friends and loved ones led to the news spreading earlier than expected. “The truth is, we planned to announce it after Tisha B’Av, but your hearts ran ahead of us…and chaos followed,” she wrote with a smile.
Elisha Loewenstern, 38, was killed by an anti-tank missile while trying to rescue wounded IDF soldiers during combat in Gaza. Though officially exempt from service due to his large family, Elisha felt a strong sense of national duty and enlisted. Hadas remained at home, caring for their children. After his death, she became a powerful speaker, sharing her story across Israel and the Jewish world.
“People say to me, ‘Stop being so strong.’ They’re surprised to see me smile, to wear makeup, to keep going,” Hadas once said. “But this isn’t my strength. It’s the strength I get from the people of Israel.”
Hod Reichart’s wife, Hagit, died at the age of 37 just ten days after delivering their baby girl by cesarean section, leaving him to raise their four daughters alone.
Now, as Hadas and Hod prepare to merge their families and move forward together, their story is a testament to resilience, faith, and the enduring power of love after loss together with a blended family of ten children.
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