[3] Samuel resides in West Jerusalem and works at the local centre of ALEH, an Israeli foundation that provides rehabilitation services for disabled children and adults.

[4] Samuel had been living in the Mumbai Chabad House and working for Rabbi Gavriel Holtzberg and his wife, Rivka, since 2003.

The Holtzbergs were the Israel-born directors of the house run by the global Orthodox Jewish Chabad movement.

When she started working there in 2003, it was expected to be a temporary job but she stated that she was "so captivated by their generous, courageous spirits" that she stayed on.

[6] In June 2008, her husband, John, a Keralite who worked as a mechanic, died suddenly in his sleep of an undiagnosed illness.

With the attackers still inside, Samuel said she grabbed Moshe and ran from the building along with Qazi Zakir Hussain, an employee of Nariman House.

[10][11] Later, when Indian commando teams stormed the house, it was confirmed that Gavriel and Rivka were among the 173 people killed in the attacks, and that Moshe was now an orphan.

The Israeli government under Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni granted Samuel a special visa offering immigration status.

[12][14] On 4 December 2008, Samuel gave an interview with CNN in which she said she sees no heroism in her actions and that she wishes she could have been able to help more people, especially Moshe's parents.

[18] In early December 2008, fifth-graders at Solomon Schecter Day School in Jericho, New York, wrote individual letters to Samuel to thank her for saving Holtzberg's life.

"[19][20][21] On 30 November 2008, the International Raoul Wallenberg Foundation, at a special session, unanimously voted to grant Sandra Samuel the Esfira Maiman Women Rescuers Medal in recognition of her bravery.