After commandos secured the building, Israelis were permitted to enter the building, the Mumbai Chabad House. On the first floor they found the body of Rabbi Gavriel Noach Holtzberg HY?D. He had been shot in his head and chest. On the second floor was found the body of his wife, Rebbitzin Rivka HY?D, who was also murdered from point blank range. Her body was covered with a tallis, which officials believe Rav Gavriel managed to do before being taken to be executed by his captors. Five years the young couple worked laboriously to bring Yiddishkeit to Mumbai. They were together in life and in death.
The vision was one of horror, giving testimony to the murderous intentions of the terrorists. Just hours after one of the occupants of the building waved a tallis from a window, the carnage became evident to those who found the bodies, some bound and gagged. Blood-stained sifrei Torah were witness to the horrors. A picture of the Lubavitcher Rebbe ZT?L was found amid the chaotic bloodied scene, on the floor, unbroken.
Rivka�s parents, Shimon and Yehudit Rosenberg were already in Mumbai. They were taking care of 2-year-old Moishe Tzvi, who was rescued by a family caretaker, Sandra.
On Shabbos, Moishe celebrated his second birthday with the Rosenbergs, his bubbie and zaide. Moishe really does not know them because they live in Eretz Yisrael. Moishe does not want to leave Sandra�s arms, the only person who remains from his short life with whom he is familiar. Rabbi Yitzchak Yosef Aaronoff, the director of Tzeirei Chabad, is working to arrange for Sandra to come to Israel to accompany Moishe.
Unfortunately, to the elders, the Holtzberg and Rosenberg grandparents, tragedy is no stranger. Three years ago, the eldest of Rav Gavriel and Rivka, Menachem Mendel, died of illness. Another child remains in a long-term rehabilitation facility in Eretz Yisrael with a difficult disease as well.
Avraham Holtzberg, Gavriel�s brother, explains that his brother and wife were special people, people that were not interested in traveling, making money or the finer things in life. Their only interest was to spread yiddishkeit and chassidus. "Their door was always open. They received everyone with a smile? he adds in a pained voice.
As soon as the Rosenbergs, who live in Afula, heard of what was taking place they began making arrangements to travel to Mumbai. Their youngest, Chayke, spent Shabbos with an older sister.
Shortly before Shabbos, Rav Yitzchak Dovid Grossman Shlita, rav of Migdal Ha�emek was made aware of the deaths of the Holtzbergs, but he withheld the information from the family in Eretz Yisrael until after Shabbos. While most in Eretz Yisrael were quite aware of the reality, the Rav did not give the confirmed information until motzei Shabbos.
In a live interview moments before candle lighting in Eretz Yisrael, the Rav told Galei Tzahal (Army Radio) "The heart cries but the brain says time for Shabbos,? calling on Am Yisrael to accept the mitzvah of Ahavas Yisrael and to tear down the barriers of Sephardim, Ashkenazim and so-forth.
The Knesset committee in charge of special ceremonies will convene on Sunday to begin making arrangements for the funerals.
(Yechiel Spira � YWN Israel)
http://www.theyeshivaworld.com/article.php?p=26582
---------------------------- Sponsor ----------------------------
Use Our Ride-sharing Network!
Our service has Boruch Hashem seen an overwhelming response.
If you are able to, please do a Mitzvah and offer a ride to those
who can�t afford or don�t know how to drive.
www.theyeshivaworld.com/rideshare
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Was this emailed forwarded to you? Sign up to receive your own email notifications at
http://www.theyeshivaworld.com//subscribe.php
yid.vid.news@gmail.com has signed up to receive these notifications.
If you would like to unsubscribe, visit the url below:
http://www.theyeshivaworld.com//remove.php?email=yid.vid.news@gmail.com
