In wake of heavy loss, Rabbi Leo Dee calls for unity behind Israeli flag

The Efrat community was left in shock on Friday morning after a terror attack in the Jordan Valley took the lives of Efrat residents and sisters Maia and Rina Dee when on their way to Tiberias for the weekend.

Their mother, Lucy (Leah), was critically wounded in the attack and was transported to Hadassah Ein Kerem hospital where the medical team fought for her life over several days before being forced to determine her death on Monday afternoon.

Rabbi Leo Dee, father of Maia and Rina and husband to Lucy, delivered an emotional speech on Monday evening in which he declared April 10 as "Dees Day," asking everyone to post a photo of themselves with the Israeli flag - or even just a photo of an Israeli flag - on social media in honor of his wife and children.

"Today is Dees Day, when we can all differentiate between good and bad by sharing a picture with an Israeli flag," he said.

"Let the Israeli flag today send out a message to humanity which is: We will never accept terror as legitimate. We will never blame the murder on the victims. There is no such thing as moral equivalence between terrorist and victim. The terrorist is always bad," he continued.

"Let's make today Dees Day, remembering Rina, Maia and Lucy Dee and also remembering the beginning of the turnaround in the second world war when the forces of good started to overcome the forces of evil," Rabbi Dee continued. "And the Dee also stands for Differentiate, because on Dees Day, we have to differentiate between good and evil."

#DeesDay: The latest trending hashtag

Within less than an hour after Rabbi Dee's speech, the hashtag #DeesDay started picking up on social media platforms.

StandWithUs tweeted a photo of the Israeli flag and wrote: "We are standing with the Dee family, who lost their beloved wife and mother, Lucy, and teenage daughters, Maia and Rina to Palestinian terrorism. We're joining Rabbi Leo Dee's call and asking our supporters - share and post an Israeli flag in their memory.

"Share and post to send a clear message - Together we stand with the people of Israel and together we stand united against terror. Now and always - Am Yisrael Chai! The StandWithUs family send out deepest condolences to the Dee family. May the memory of Lucy, Maia and Rina forever be a blessing."

We are standing with the Dee family, who lost their beloved wife and mother, Lucy, and teenage daughters, Maia and Rina to Palestinian terrorism. We’re joining Rabbi Leo Dee’s call and asking our supporters - share and post an Israeli flag in their memory. #DeesDay (1/3) pic.twitter.com/jmgP5bt8Xf

— StandWithUs (@StandWithUs) April 10, 2023

Likud MK Dan Illouz tweeted a photo of the Israeli flag as well and wrote: "In memory of Lucy, Maia and Rina z"l. These days we are exposed to cultural heroes who did not choose to be such. We all hug them and the family with all our hearts. #DeesDay."

לזכרן של לוסי, מאיה ורינה הי"ד.אנחנו נחשפים בימים אלו לגיבורי תרבות שלא בחרו להיות כאלו. אנחנו כולנו מחבקים אותן ואת המשפחה עם כל הלב.#Deesday pic.twitter.com/SoMM3L4Goc

— דן אילוז - Dan Illouz (@dillouz) April 10, 2023

World Mizrahi also joined in with using the hashtag and tweeting an Israeli flag photo.

#DeesDay pic.twitter.com/xcO5MiOJrD

— World Mizrachi (@worldmizrachi) April 10, 2023

Efrat's mayor Oded Revivi posted on Facebook, "As Rabbi Leo Dee asked of us, let us unite behind the flag that stands for good. In memory of Lucy, Maia and Rina Dee may their memory be a blessing," with a photo of an Israeli flag.

Singer and podcaster Chanale Fellig-Harrel, who goes by the name @ChanaleMusic on social media, posted a picture of Maia, Rina and Lucy behind a Star of David and wrote on her post: "I'm posting this as per the request of Leo Dee, whose wife and two daughters were killed in a terrorist attack in the Jordan Valley over Passover. Please flood your feed with support for Israel. 

"Addressing the terrorist at a press conference this morning, he said: 'What did you get out of this? What values are you passing on to your children when you murdered my family? You are pure evil.' Am Yisrael will prevail. The Jewish people will prevail. Israel will prevail.

"Say NO to hate. NO to terror. NO to anti-Zionism. Say NO to antisemitism.

"May the memories of Lucy, Maia and Rina Dee be a blessing. #DeesDay."

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A post shared by Chanale Fellig-Harrel (@chanalemusic)

The official account for the Western Wall shared a photo of the Israeli flag waving in front of the Western Wall. "Praying for the souls of Lucy, Maia and Rina z"l," they captioned it.

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A post shared by Western wall (@western.wall)