Leah was born in Jerusalem to Sarah nee Melumad and Zerach Levi (Halevi),  middle daughter to a traditionalist family. Her father’s family arrived in Israel from the Ukraine. Zerach Halevi, a native of the Old City of Jerusalem, served in the First Jewish Brigade in the British Army, and was known to all as the “tinsmith poet”. Her mother, was a housewife. Her family had arrived from Odessa. The family owned a shop for household products and metal work.

Leah is the descendant of an old Jerusalemite family, the Melumads.  Grandfather Ya’acov, was among the first pharmacists in Jerusalem, and  renowned for the medicines he created. Leah studied at “Hamizrachi Ruchama School” , then later at evening school. She was a member of the  “Bnei Akiva” youth movement.

Under the influence of her cousin, Sarah Palai (Melumad), she joined Lehi in 1947, participated in an ideology  course in Tel-Aviv, and was involved in underground activity such as: pasting up posters and instructing a youth cell regarding the origins of the movement. She also served in a weapons storage warehouse at the “Dror” base of Jerusalem. At the time of the Bernadotte assassination, she was arrested and sent to Jaffa Prison. She escaped from prison with a few friends. They were caught and transferred to  Akko Prison.

After a general  Amnesty was granted, she joined the IDF and served in Jerusalem at the  “Schneller” Base. After her discharge, she began working at the Ministry of Finance as a secretary and remained working there for 16 years. She  participated  in night  courses of the “Open University”,  and attended  literature, language, and history lectures.

In 1966 Leah married Moshe, a  “Bezek” phone company employee. They have two sons. The family lived in Bat-Yam, then moved to Holon, where they have resided  since. After her marriage she did clerical work at home for the Ministry of Defence.