Lia Troy is a Canadian from Montreal who immigrated to Israel with her family around 2007. She enlisted in the Israeli army in 2013.
Troy is a daughter of Gil Troy, a historian, author, columnist and a “distinguished scholar” at McGill University. The Jewish News Syndicate published an article on Gil in April 2024, writing, “Parents should instill as much Jewish identity, values and history in their children as possible with an understanding ‘that an attack on Israel is an attack on them,’ Troy said. ‘We’re going to raise a generation of Zionist Jews with fluency and identity,’ he said. ‘New Jews with the willingness to defend themselves when necessary but building, rebuilding and dreaming always, which is what Zionism has always been about.’”
Gil has written articles about all of his children, including one focused on Lia and published in December 2013 in the Jerusalem Post titled, “To my daughter, upon joining the IDF.”
He states, “You did it. This morning, you marched off to the Army. Ok, it was more like sauntering than marching – you’ll march soon enough. And you merely took a bus to a processing center which sent you to basic training. Nevertheless, this move, which you did with your customary grace – and a smile on your face – culminates our three years here as Olim, immigrants; a lifetime of Israel visits – and thousands of years of Jewish yearning to control our destiny in our own state, including defending it as necessary. […] we are so proud of your decision to serve. You know what you are sacrificing. In today’s Israel your two-year gift to the Jewish people is essentially voluntary. But you also realized that serving your country can serve yourself too.”
In January 2015, according to Gil on Twitter, Lia “finished officer’s training and became a Second Lieutenant in the Israeli Army,” and then graduated as an officer in May 2015.
Lia has three siblings that have also served in the Israeli military and are included in this database: Aviv Troy, Dina Troy, Yoni Troy. One of Lia’s grandfathers is the now-deceased billionaire real estate investor, Marcel Adams.
