In the words of Rabbi Yisrael Goldstein, Lori Gilbert Kaye was "a woman of chesed and kindness," a very special and cherished member of his congregation.
Tears welled up in his eyes as he spoke about this special Jewish woman.
Lori had come to shul to say the Yizkor prayer for her recently deceased mother.
With this as her last intention, Lori was suddenly shot to death in the foyer of the shul.
And according to the new information, Rabbi Goldstein was the hero of the hour, along with a Jewish off-duty border patrol guard.
If you haven't already, please see 2 important posts at Shirat Devorah:
And it's essential to see Devorah's comment in the following post, where she describes what she heard first-hand from Rabbi Goldstein's sister, who also lives in Australia:
The media accounts are so different than Rabbi Goldstein's account. I don't even know how the media came up with the information they did, some of which is outright false according to the above.
May Rabbi Goldstein (Yisroel ben Chana Priva) and the other injured merit a complete and speedy healing.
And may Rabbi Goldstein's amazing courage and exemplary selflessness (even as blood poured from his wounds, he first concerned himself with the safety of the children in the area, then later gave powerful chizuk to his congregants, and refused to leave until everyone was accounted for) stand as a merit for himself and for us all.
What a kiddush Hashem!
She was murdered in the middle of doing worthy deeds - simply because she was a Jew.
May Hashem yinkom damah and may she be a melitz yosher for all Am Yisrael.
And may those injured merit a speedy and complete healing.
Mi k'Amcha Yisrael? Who is like Your Nation Yisrael?