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Who is Monica Woll Rosen? Samantha Woll's family shares slain Detroit synagogue leader's final text

Samantha Woll led her local synagogue in downtown Detroit and was a fierce advocate for Israel

DETROIT, MICHIGAN: Detroit synagogue board president Samantha Woll was stabbed to death in the early hours of Saturday, October 21.

As the police continue investigating Woll’s brutal murder, her sister Monica Woll Rosen revealed at her Sunday funeral that Woll’s last text message was a heart emoticon sent to a friend, “just because.”

Monica’s heartfelt goodbye

Samantha’s sister, Monica Woll Rosen, told attendees at the heartbreaking funeral service just before the 40-year-old was laid to rest, “You sent hearts to cheer people up and let them know you’re thinking of them - because you cared.”

Monica also told a story about a friend who received birthday flowers sent by Samantha on the day that she was killed, which remains one of her last acts of kindness before her tragic demise.

“Happy birthday! Wishing you many, many, many more. You are the greatest gift of all. Love always and forever,” read the attached card, which Woll had signed as being from her and ten others.

“That was you, Sam,” Rosen said. “You didn’t even ask. You just sent flowers and signed 10 other people’s names because you knew it would make the receiver happy - and the others would have wanted to say happy birthday if they knew it was your birthday.”

The eulogizers at Woll's funeral on Sunday recounted her selflessness, boundless positivity, and love for others among many stories.

How did Samantha Woll die?

According to several reports, Detroit police found Woll’s body at about 6.30 am on Saturday, when they responded to a 911 call about an unresponsive person outside her home in the city’s Lafayette Park neighborhood.

Reportedly, they found a trail of blood from the suspected crime scene to her residence.

But even two days later, there is still frustratingly very little information about who murdered Woll, who was an activist and politically well-connected, having worked on several politicians' campaigns.

Authorities have warned against jumping to conclusions, or assuming that her killing had anything to do with the ever-increasing conflict between Israel and Hamas terrorists.

Detroit Police Chief James E White said in an email that while authorities are investigating, there is no evidence so far to suggest that her killing was motivated by antisemitism.

“I again ask the community to remain patient while our investigators and law enforcement partners continue their work,” White said in the statement Sunday. “Everything that can be done to bring this matter to closure is being called into service.”

According to the Detroit Free Press, Samantha Woll had led the Isaac Agree Downtown Detroit Synagogue since 2022.

She had also worked for Congresswoman Elissa Slotkin and on the re-election campaign of Attorney General Dana Nessel, both of whom are from the US Democratic Party.