6 years ago

First Photos: Moshe, Netanyahu at Memorial

Rabbi Yisrael Kozlovsky, the Chabad emissary in Mumbai, recounted Prime Minister Netanyahu’s emotional visit to the Mumbai Chabad house. Moshe Holtzberg, a survivor of a bloody 2008 terrorist attack visited the site that killed his parents Rabbi Gavriel and Rivki Holtzberg, HY”D • Full Story, First Photos

Rabbi Yisrael Kozlovsky, the Chabad emissary in Mumbai, recounted Prime Minister Netanyahu’s emotional visit to the Mumbai Chabad house Moshe Holtzberg, a survivor of a bloody 2008 at the site that killed his parents Rabbi Gavriel and Rivki Holtzberg, HY”D.

Moshe Holtzberg was two years old when Pakistani terrorists stormed the Chabad House on November 26, 2008, murdering six people, including Gavriel and Rivka Holtzberg, who ran the Jewish center.

He now lives in Israel with his grandparents.

On Tuesday, Moshe made his first visit to Mumbai since the tragedy.

Samuel held his hand as the pair, along with Moshe’s grandfather, battled their way through reporters at Mumbai’s airport after touching down around 8:30 am.

“I’m very happy,” a rather startled looking Moshe told reporters in Hindi.

He was later taken to Chabad House in south Mumbai where today he joined Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu for the unveiling of a memorial to the victims of the attack.

Moshe was saved by his Indian nanny, Sandra Samuel, who managed to escape.

“A few moments ago, the prime minister left the Chabad House. He said that Moshe and this building are proof that the people of Israel live and that no one can defeat the people of Israel,” Kozlovsky told Arutz Sheva.

“This place is a symbol and an example of the love of Israel and hatred of Israel,” Kozlovsky continued. “The love of Israel because it is the Chabad House that operates according to the Lubavitcher Rebbe’s command that is open to every human being and symbolizes hatred of Israel because the terrorists who choose this spot to carry out their plot.”

“The memorial site that will demonstrate how precisely from the darkness we will reach the great light.”

Despite the murderous attack in 2008, Rabbi Kozlovsky said that he does not fear for his life. “We are convinced that everything is fine and everything will be fine,” he said. “Of course, we do everything necessary and fulfill all the instructions we receive from the security forces.

Rabbi Kozlovsky became very emotional when recounting Moshe Holzberg’s reaction upon visiting the site of his parent’s death. “Moishe was very excited and he invited the prime minister to come to the Chabad House for his bar mitzvah. The Prime Minister smiled. We are really hoping that we will receive another visit, but this time it will be in the Temple in Jerusalem ” said the emissary.

During the event, the Prime Minister said, “This place symbolizes both hatred of Israel and love of Israel. Hatred from the terrorists, against the tireless love of the Chabad emissaries who spread light through the world. But there is also Sandra, who also symbolizes the love for Israel inside of people,” Netanyahu said, and asked Samuel to stand. “The Jewish people went through difficult crises all along the way, and triumphed. So it is here.”

When Netanyahu had finished speaking, Moshe said, “I am very happy to return to the place I was born and grew up. From stories, I know that I had a happy childhood, that my mother and father invested all their strength in me. Thank you to the Prime Minister who remembered to take me here. Blessed is he who keeps his promise to Moishy.”

“I want to take this opportunity to make a blessing to G-d “who performed a miracle for me in this place,” and I want to bless my grandparents who have accompanied me until today. I want to say thank you to Rabbi Yisrael and Chaya Kozlovsky, the emissaries who today run the Chabad house and continue the path of my parents in the best possible way.”