Hero of Israel, a portrait of Rabbi Shlomo Gangte is being put up in Jerusalem Market and Hebrew University, Jerusalem, Israel.
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Exceptional Bravery – Rabbi Shlomo Gangte
by Jessica T.
This is a story about an Israeli hero – Rabbi Shlomo Gangte.
We are all aware of the wave of terror that surrounds us in Israel today. On the 8th of October, 2015, Shlomo Gangte was driving his line bus as usual in Jerusalem and happened to see an Arab terrorist stab a yeshiva student in the neck and flee. In the ensuing pursuit the assailant grabbed a firearm from a security guard with the intention of shooting people in the vicinity.
Without as much as a thought for his own personal safety, Shlomo stopped the bus and gave chase to the terrorist. He caught up with him, wrestled him to the ground, landing as many blows and kicks as he could, until he was able to disarm him. He pinned him down to the ground until the police arrived.
The story was featured on Channel 2 that evening. In a selfless act of exceptional bravery, he averted what could have turned into a massacre.
Shlomo, 45 years old, is quite unusual amongst the panoply of faces that make up the Israeli public. He was born in Manipur, a remote state in the North East India on the border with Mynamar. He came to Israel in 2002 and lives in Bet El with his family. An ordained Rabbi, he spends most of his spare time studying Torah. Devout and humble, he gives Torah classes throughout the country and has translated prayer books, the Passover Haggada, the Book of Ruth and many devotional texts for his people.
The Bnei Menashe community, and indeed the entire Israel public is very proud of Rabbi Shlomo Gangte.