With profound sadness and tremendous grief , we confirm that Rabbi Gabi and Rivkah Holzberg, the beloved directors of Chabad-Lubavitch of Mumbai, India, were killed during one of the worst terrorist attacks to strike India.
Jewish communities around the world reacted with shock to the loss of the couple, who were killed Thursday at their Chabad House during an apparent standoff between Indian military forces and terrorists.
Their toddler son, Moshe, managed to escape with his nanny some hours before Indian commandos stormed their building, known as the Nariman House, in the popular touristy neighborhood of Colaba. The Associated Press reported that the boy was unharmed, but was wearing blood-soaked pants.
The Holtzbergs arrived in Mumbai in 2003 to serve the small local Jewish community, visiting businesspeople and the throngs of tourists, many of them Israeli, who annually travel to the seaside city.
Two years ago, the Holtzbergs raised funds to purchase the current location of the Chabad House, a five-story building in Mumbai’s Colaba market area known as Narimon House. A trained ritual circumciser and slaughterer, the rabbi also conducts weddings for local Jewish couples in addition to teaching Torah classes and visiting with tourists.
Rivky Holtzberg's parents in Israel, Rabbi Shimon and Yehudit Rosenberg, were planning to travel to Mumbai to bring their now-orphaned grandson home to family.
To contribute to a fund established to aid Chabad relief efforts in Mumbai, visit
MosheHoltzbergFund.org
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