Dvir Haim Shnerb, an Israeli who sustained serious injuries in a terrorist attack close to six years ago, announced his engagement to his partner, Dana Malkior, on Thursday, Israel’s Independence Day.
“Sing, O heavens, and rejoice, O earth, and mountains burst out in song, for the Lord has consoled His people, and He shall have mercy on His poor” [Isaiah 49:13], Shnerb wrote on behalf of the couple on his Facebook page.
“As dawn broke over the Land of the Deer on our beloved country’s day of celebration, we are overjoyed to share with hearts full of gratitude our engagement,” his post continued.
On Aug. 23, 2019, the then 19-year-old Shnerb went hiking with his father, Rabbi Eitan Shnerb, and sister Rina near Dolev, a Jewish community in the Binyamin region of Samaria some 17 miles northwest of Jerusalem.
A roadside bomb exploded. Their father was moderately wounded and tried to resuscitate Rina, 17, to no avail.
The father and son were evacuated by helicopter to Hadassah Medical Center in Jerusalem’s Ein Kerem.
Dvir was admitted in an induced coma and attached to a respirator. Immediately upon arrival, he underwent surgery to repair shrapnel wounds to his stomach.
Eitan was released from the hospital a week later.
Recalling the day of the bombing, Eitan said, “Rina saved us all. She died the death of heroes. Her face was intact. I gave her a kiss and said to her: ‘We will be strong.’”
Aged 19 during the attack, Dvir began a long recovery process and eventually was drafted to the Israel Defense Forces in 2021.
His parents, Eitan and Shira, said of their son’s betrothal, “The joy is enormous, such a perfect timing,” Israel National News reported.
“The day after Remembrance Day for the Fallen of Israel’s Wars and Victims of Terrorism, on the morning of Independence Day, and six weeks after the engagement of our daughter Ora, we merited the engagement of our son Dvir Haim to Dana,” the parents said.
“This is another precise victory over the accursed terrorists, and all of the evil which we continue to see recently; building new homes and new lives is the secret to the Jewish people’s continued existence. We pray that all of Israel will merit many celebrations, infinite in number,” the parents said, according to INN.