Lakewood, NJ – Man Flies to Israel to Check if Sister is India Terror Victim

Lakewood, NJ – A Lakewood man has flown to Israel to confirm whether his sister was one of the six people killed at the Chabad House in Mumbai, India, during that country’s terror attacks.

Norma Shvarzblat, a Mexican citizen, was identified as one of those killed by the Jewish Agency for Israel, which said in a press release that the 50-year-old was scheduled to make aliyah to Israel today and join two of her children who have already immigrated to Israel from Mexico.

Though not yet positively identified by a family member, she is believed to be the sister of Moshe Shvarzblat, 48, who owns Dina’s Interiors & Leathers on Cedar Bridge Avenue, according to Lakewood Committeeman Meir Lichtenstein.
Lichtenstein has been in close contact with Moshe’s wife Mina, 45, this weekend.

The Shvarzblat family appreciates the outpouring from the community, Lichtenstein said.
“They are asking for privacy during this ongoing process, which is a painful one, and they need time to sort everything out,” he said.

The community is shocked and pained by the news, Lichtenstein said.
“Terrorism, at times, can seem so far away when it takes place somewhere like India,” he said. “But it brings it close to home when someone you know suffers a loss,” he said, calling terrorists “animals.”

Lichtenstein said Norma was volunteering in the Chabad House, which is a Jewish community center, in Mumbai while waiting to receive Israeli citizenship. He said Mina believes Norma received confirmation of citizenship on Thursday, he said.

This immigration is called “aliyah,” in Hebrew, meaning an ascent, or “going-up,” Lichtenstein said.

Exactly how the woman died is unclear, and the Shvarzblats have read conflicting reports from Jewish and Israeli world news agencies, Lichtenstein said.

Norma was planning to fly to Israel today, to join her children Jean Goldi, 24, a student living in Tel Aviv, who made aliyah to Israel in December 2004, and Menachem (also identified as Manuel), 18, who made aliyah two months ago. Norma, a divorcee, has another daughter, Orli, 21, who lives with her father in Mexico.