The father of Rabbi Gavriel Holtzberg, the Chabad emissary who was murdered together with his wife in last November’s terror attack in Mumbai, plans to rebuild the Jewish center, which was badly damaged in the attack.
Amid wreckage and scattered furniture, Rabbi Nachman Holtzberg and his wife Frieda searched through the belongings of their martyred son Gavriel, who ran the Mumbai Chabad House, a Jewish community and outreach center. The house had served India’s local Jewish population as well as tourists and business executives.
Gavriel’s parents came for a two-week trip to Mumbai from Brooklyn, together with their sons, Moshe and Avraham. This past Friday morning, the rabbi and his wife visited the deserted Chabad House building. During his stay here, the rabbi intends to make ties with the local Jewish community, and lead services and host meals for Jewish tourists – something that his son and daughter-in-law once did on a daily basis, frequently doling out hot kosher meals to as many as 50 Jewish travelers each night.
The Holtzberg family inspected the extensive damage, together with a hefty security expert, Avi Cohen. Together they stared at bloodstained walls and floors, trying to reconstruct the last moments before their son’s life and communal work was tragically cut short at the age of 29. Rabbi Holtzberg picked up stacks of Hebrew books from the floor. An eeriness permeated the center as his wife, Frieda, pointed to a corner where Gavriel died.
Rabbi Holtzberg said his family intends to seek donations from Indians to rebuild the Chabad House. "In our estimate, we'll require at least $2 million to get it up and running with enhanced security," he told the Times of India. "This was a home, not only for Jews, but every person, from every other community. Now we need support from the Indian community to come forward and help it start again," the rabbi stated. The Holtzbergs have already collected some funds from the United States and Europe.
In the November 29th attack, Muslim terrorists from Pakistan targeted the Jewish center and killed Rabbi Gavriel Holtzberg, together with his pregnant wife, Rivka and other Jewish guests. Their two-year-old son, Moshe, was miraculously saved by his nanny, Sandra. Moshe is being raised by Sandra in his grandparents’ home in Israel.
"He is not only a son of Israel, but now of the entire world," his grandparents said. "He's happy in Israel, but sometimes still calls out for his parents," says his grandmother.
During his two-week stay in Mumbai, Rabbi Nachman Holtzberg intends to raise funds from Indians to rebuild the Jewish cultural center, which was targeted by the terrorists in one of the deadliest attacks that India has ever witnessed. The rabbi’s two sons are disturbed that the Indian government has not issued any word of apology for the tragedy. "So far we haven't heard from anyone. There is no apology, no support, no statement, no phone calls from the Indian government," said Moshe, adding that both U.S. Presidents Bush and Obama have both expressed their sympathy.