Monday, December 01, 2008
Migdal Ohr &The Mumbai Massacre
December 1, 2008
4 Kislev 5769
Rabbi and Rebbetzen Grossman's Niece, Nephew Murdered in Cold Blood Rabbi Grossman Leads Rescue Effort of Baby Moshe and His Nanny
Dear Friend,
Migdal Ohr profoundly mourns the passing of the beloved, angelic and dynamic young directors of the Chabad in Mumbai, Rabbi Gavriel and Rebbetzen Rivka Holtzberg.
The last 72 hours have been full of raw emotion and tears for Rabbi Grossman and the staff of Migdal Ohr.
As you may have heard, the slain young couple are the niece and nephew of Rabbi Grossman and his wife Esther. Additionally, Rivka's father, Rabbi Rosenberg, is not only the Rabbi's brother-in-law but is also the Principal of the Migdal Ohr Girls' Elementary School. Who could have ever predicted that someone who has dedicated his whole life to caring for orphans and Children-at-risk would now be faced with having to care for his own Grand-nephew, and would need to help bury his own niece and nephew? What a sad, tragic coincidence.
As is so typical of the saintly work of Rabbi Grossman, there is much to report to you about work behind the scenes to plan the funeral, to reunite Baby Moshe with his grandparents, and to care for the heroic Nanny who saved Baby Moshe's life. And the stories will astound you.
Where to begin? Rabbi Grossman and Migdal Ohr to date have expended great financial costs in flying the Grandparents to India, as well as flying over the ZAKA rescue team to care for the bodies of the deceased. We have been in constant contact with the Israeli Foreign Ministry in an effort to release the bodies to Israel for burial, and in fact to bring everyone over on one flight back home. One of the causes for the delay until now is that the dead bodies were booby-trapped by the murderers with hand grenades, which required prolonged and careful removal.
I am pleased to report that through the incredible joint efforts of the Israeli Government and Rabbi Grossman, an Israeli Air Force Jet has taken off from Mumbai and is scheduled to return to Ben Gurion Airport in Israel close to midnight Israel time (5pm New York time). On the plane are Baby Moshe's Grandparents- Rabbi Shimon and Yehudit Rosenberg, Baby Moshe, The Nanny Sandra Samuel, and the deceased. An official Government Funeral has been scheduled for Tuesday. Seeing that Rivka and Gavriel Holtzberg were victims of terror, they will be accorded a full, official State burial. The funeral is expected to draw tens of thousands.
Two-year old Moshe Holtzberg will live with his grandparents in Afula, 15 minutes away from Migdal Ha'Emek. When everyone is settled, Moshe will be enrolled in one of the many Kindergartens that Migdal Ohr operates. How fitting!
As for the Nanny, Rabbi Grossman was able to secure for this heroine- an Indian resident- a full one year visa to come live in Israel with the Grandparents, so that Baby Moshe can continue to live with the most recognizable person in his life. The woman, Sandra Samuel, has no official papers, no ID documents, and yet Rabbi Grossman has managed to reunite her with Moshe and the family, at least for the next year.
In Israel, Rabbi Grossman has become the media voice for this story- appearing daily on Radio and TV to update the Israeli public. "Ma Nomar Uma Nedaber?"What more can possibly be said ? We all have the privilege of being associated with one of the great Rabbis and personalities in the history of the State of Israel- and that is no understatement.
May the memories of the deceased be a blessing for their families, and may their families be comforted among the mourners of Zion and Jerusalem. Rabbi Grossman and Migdal Ohr have been asked by the Family to establish a fund for Baby Moshe to be administered by them. We are in the process of setting up this Foundation and we'll let you know in due time how you may contribute.
Sincerely,
Robert Katz
Executive Vice President
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Founded in 1972, Migdal Ohr, the world's largest Jewish Orphanage, provides a nurturing home and outstanding formal and Jewish education to orphaned, disadvantaged and troubled children from throughout Israel. 6,500 children are enrolled in one of our 15 elementary or high schools, 18 kindergartens, or 7 Toddler Day Care Centers with nearly 3,000 living permanently in our campus dormitories. Another 1,000 are supported by and live with foster parents in our highly acclaimed Foster Village, situated in between our Boys and Girls Campuses.
Our model has proven successful at treating the disadvantaged; it repairs the damaged lives of the children and gives them the education and self-esteem they need to flourish. The landmark achievement of the organization is its graduates, who have become doctors, scientists, mathematicians, lawyers, teachers, community leaders, rabbis and successful mothers and fathers.
Rabbi Grossman was awarded the 2004 Israel Prize for his " lifetime contributions to Israeli society"
American Friends of Migdal Ohr
email: robertkatz@migdalohrusa.org web: http://www.migdalohrusa.org/
Copyright ©2006 Migdal Ohr. All rights Reserved.
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Robert Katz,
Please accept and pass on my deeply felt condolences on the deaths of Rabbi Gavriel and Rebbetzen Rivka Holtzberg. My prayers are with Baby Moshe and her nanny as well as Rabbi Grossman and his wife Esther, Rabbi Rosenberg, and the entire staff at Migdal Ohr. May God be with you all and all the other family members.
I know that there are no words I can say to express the utter insanity that is going on around the world today.
God Bless, Michael Carey
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3: Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ:
4: According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love:
5: Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will,
6: To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved.
7: In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace;
8: Wherein he hath abounded toward us in all wisdom and prudence;
9: Having made known unto us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure which he hath purposed in himself:
10: That in the dispensation of the fullness of times he might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth; even in him:
11: In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will:
12: That we should be to the praise of his glory, who first trusted in Christ.
13: In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise,
14: Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory.
Labels: Migdal Ohr, The Mumbai Massacre
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