SAN DIEGO — A funeral was held Monday for Lori Gilbert Kaye, the woman killed in Saturday's synagogue shooting in Poway.
Hundreds of mourners packed into Chabad of Poway Monday afternoon to say goodbye to Lori.
Lori was described by Rabbi Yisroel Goldstein on Sunday as one of Congregation Chabad's "pioneers." He said she was a former bank employee who helped get the congregation a loan to build its synagogue, and called her a close personal friend.
He said he had just been speaking to Lori when the shooting started.
Lori's funeral began just after 2 p.m. at the synagogue Monday, just two days after the shooting that killed her and left three others injured, including the rabbi.
Goldstein - who lost his right index finger in the Saturday shooting and spent hours in surgery as medical personnel worked to save his other index finger - told reporters that Kaye was at the temple with her husband and daughter on Saturday to honor her mother, who recently died.
"She’s my best friend, my greatest advocate, my dance partner,” said Lori’s daughter Hannah.
The 22-year-old showed amazing strength at the funeral as she talked about her mother.
“My mother gave me every opportunity I would have dreamed of," Hannah said.
So many people showed up that they quickly filled the 600 seats inside the synagogue and a screen was setup outside to handle the overflow. Hundreds more watched there, many wiping away tears as Lori’s husband, Dr. Howard Kaye talked about her final moments.
He was right by her side after the shooting.
“She went very quickly and she did not suffer,” he said. "[She] went straight up and right now, that’s where she is.”
Lori was killed Saturday at Chabad of Poway while celebrating the end of Passover. She was also there to pray and honor her mother who recently passed away.
“There’s a big garden out there,” Said Rabbi Yisroel Goldstein who was also shot. “God took the rose of the garden and took her up to heaven.”
Monday’s service was filled with love, despite the horrific act of hate that took Lori’s life just two days earlier. And from Lori’s husband: a message to others who are heading down that same dangerous path as Lori’s killer.
“Get out while you can. Turn your life around," he said. "Come back into the real world. The world of Lori which is peace and love on Earth.”
