Moshe Holtzberg is returning to India with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu this week after almost 10 years to help unveil plans for a state-of-the-art Living Memorial in honor of his parents – Shluchim Rabbi Gavriel and Rivka Holtzberg, who were murdered by terrorists in 2008.
At a ceremony on Thursday, the 12-year-old yeshivah student will join Netanyahu, who will unveil a plaque honoring his parents at Nariman House, the building in the bustling Colaba district of India’s largest city that houses the Chabad center. The plaque will serve as the cornerstone for the Living Memorial.
Designed to educate and inspire people of all backgrounds to act for the betterment of themselves, their communities and the world, the Living Memorial will include the apartment where the Holtzbergs lived, as well as the floor where most of the murders occurred. On the top floor, from where one can see the sites of the other terror attacks that swept through Mumbai, will be a reflection garden that will focus on and recognize all the victims of the attacks.
“Inspired by the universal teachings of the Rebbe—Rabbi Menachem M. Schneerson, of righteous memory—the Living Memorial is designed to show how every individual has the ability and responsibility to make the world a better place,” said Rabbi Israel Kozlovsky, co-director, with his wife, Chaya, of Chabad-Lubavitch of Mumbai.
Since arriving in 2012, the Kozlovskys, based out of a small house in Mumbai set out to reestablish Chabad’s activities and services in the region, to its pre-2008 levels, and rebuild Nariman House, which was still in disrepair following the terror attack and the subsequent Indian commando raid. Amid much celebration, Chabad of Mumbai formally reopened Nariman House in 2014. The property of the Chabad India Trust, it serves as the nerve center for Chabad’s work in the city, and home away from home for local members of the community and visitors from around the world.
Moshe was invited to visit his former home by Indian Prime Minister Narenda Modi during the premier’s maiden visit to Israel in July; it was then that Netanyahu invited the boy to join him on this trip to India, the first by an Israeli prime minister in 25 years.
Moshe has been living in Israel with his maternal grandparents since the tragedy, which took place on Nov. 26, 2008, a day remembered in India as 26/11. Just 2 years old at the time of the attack, he was brought to safety by his Indian nanny, Sandra Samuel, who also resides in Israel and continues to remain close with her former charge. She will be accompanying Moshe on this first visit back to his former home. Moshe’s financial wellbeing has been ensured through a fund established by Chabad-Lubavitch and will see him into adulthood.
Netanyahu and his wife, Sara, are scheduled to be received at the Chabad House by the Koslovskys on Thursday at 1 p.m. They will be joined by Moshe’s grandparents, as well as Samuel, who also is making the trip back home.
#RabbiIsraelKozlovsky of #ChabadHouse in #Mumbai speaks about #BabyMoshe ‘s return to the place where his parents were killed by terrorists on 26/11after nine years & #PMNetanyahu visit to #NarimanHouse . @ndtv #MoJo #MobileJournalism #ShotOnSamsungS8+ @SamsungMobileIN @LiveU pic.twitter.com/AgFBaz0jqO
— Saurabh Gupta(Micky) (@MickyGupta84) January 15, 2018
wow nice thank you for sharing
The more than 15 shluchim in India are doing amazing shlichus of the Rebbe with Mesirus Nefesh! Kol Hakavod!!!
are those bullet holes on the wall ?
hope i’m wrong coz that might be too upsetting and be too much Moshe if it is .
hope that’s covered up before he arrives what ever it is !
Very wonderful that everyone is saying baby mishe baby moshe. He looks just like his late father .
Seems like an intense experience for a 9 yr old, hope it’s not too much..
The shluchim in India are Chabad’s most unknown heroes. They live such hard lives with a smile. Trust me even while dealing with all this security and media they’ll be doing what they do on a regular day serving local Jews and tourists with an open heart and home.