The Samaria community of Tel Menashe was in mourning Monday after residents learned that Esther Horgan, a mother of six, had been found lifeless in a nearby forest early Monday morning.
Security officials suspect that Horgan was the victims of a terrorist murder.
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Speaking to Army Radio on Monday, chairman of the Tal Menashe security committee Eliezer Roth, said that Horgan's "entire life was devoted to peace and protecting the families. An attractive woman, who was physically active, who went to work out in a beautiful forest, completely sure she would return home."
According to Roth, "For people who like to work out, running the forest is a completely routine thing to do. Her husband, Binyamin, told me, 'We've been here for 20 years, we'll stay here this is our place.'"
"The couple has six children, the youngest of whom is 13. The others are older, and some are married. They are good people, immigrants from France who arrived in Israel at a young age. Zionists, with a nice family," Roth said.
Chair of the Tal Menashe council Rotem Hania, who lives near Horgan, said, "This is a difficult morning for us. Our community is quiet and we live in peace with the communities around us. Esther was an artist and a couples counselor. A happy, smiling woman who left a good feeling wherever she went. Two or three times a week she went to work out in the nearby forest. The entire community, including the children, go there to run. This is a very unusual incident and we're all very surprised at what happened. They won't break us. Our community is strong and united, and with all the difficulties, with God's help, we will overcome."
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