"It felt like only the two of us were there in that moment": A love story that began on the beach and ended with aliyah

Adi Petek from Denver and Daniel Leshets, a Taglit guide, met in December 2022 on a tour. A date on the beach led to a cross-continental connection. Adi returned to Israel in August 2023, and despite the war that broke out in October, she chose to stay. After ten months, they moved in together in Tel Aviv, got engaged in the summer, and are planning a wedding in September.

Adi Petek, a young Jewish woman from Denver, Colorado, and Daniel Leshets, a Taglit guide, met in December 2022 during a Taglit tour in Israel. The connection deepened quickly, and at the end of the trip they went on a date on the beach. Adi returned to the US, but the two continued to correspond. In August 2023, Adi returned to Israel, and Daniel picked her up from the airport. Within a week, she told him they would get married. Six weeks later, the October 7 attack broke out. Adi was in Haifa and Daniel abroad; her family pressured her to return to Denver, but she refused. About ten months later, they moved in together in Tel Aviv. In the summer of 2026, they got engaged, and their wedding is planned for September. Taglit CEO Gidi Mark notes that one in four alumni marries another alumnus, and many relationships are cross-continental.

"It felt like only the two of us were there in that moment": A love story that began on the beach and ended with aliyah