In late February, Ilana Peck Leibler was in Norfolk, expecting to return to Israel after a quick visit with her family. The war in the Middle East, however, swiftly and drastically altered her plans.
A Norfolk native, Leibler has lived in Israel for nine years.
“I came home to visit my parents, Grandma Nancy and Zayde, and other extended family,” says Leibler. “It was supposed to be a 10-day trip and instead, it has turned into two months.”
Not only is Leibler not where she lives, she’s not near her new husband, Meir Leibler.
A Lone Soldier (an Israel Defense Forces member who serves without immediate family in Israel), Leibler met her husband during Reserve Duty after Oct. 7.
The couple planned their wedding to take place in June 2025, but as Liebler muses, “Iran messed that up. We got married on Aug. 5, instead.”
At the time Leibler boarded her flight in Israel with Norfolk as her destination, she admits she knew there was a possibility that travel issues might occur, as murmurs of war were brewing. She says, however, she was not dissuaded from making the trip because, “I really wanted to see my family.”
When asked if this was the first time she and her husband had been separated, she was quick to laugh, “We’re not separated, we are just not physically together.” In truth though, it is not their first ‘physical separation’ in their young marriage. . . “Three days after we got married, Meir was called into Reserve Duty, and we were apart for three weeks.”
While her husband is serving, communication, she notes, is limited.
“We have a What’s App group with all the wives of the soldiers and we get daily updates that everything is going well, but aside from that, communication is very limited,” says Liebler.
Being so far away from her Israeli home, Leibler says, “I am very concerned about my family and friends in Israel, but I am very fortunate to have my family and friends in Norfolk.”
Since Leibler works remotely, “I have been able to work, and my company is very understanding and accommodating during these difficult times.”
Still, she can’t recall the last time she has spent this much time Norfolk since she was 16 years old.
The forced stay hasn’t been all bad. “The weather has been amazing,” says Leibler.
“I ended up being here for Purim and Pesach – and even joined a gym.”
And there’s been an added bonus for her family: “I went to Bishulm Culinary School in Yaffa while I was living in Israel, so my parents have definitely enjoyed me cooking for them.”
For Leibler, though, she says, “I can’t wait to get back to my husband and my blind dog Stevie.”