Israel – The father of Rivkah Holtzberg, who was killed along with her husband Gavriel during the terror attack on the Chabad house in Mumbai, India last month, held a menorah-lighting ceremony at his Afula home Sunday evening.
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Rabbi Shimon Holzberg spoke to Ynet about the emotional event: “We conducted the ceremony along with friends and members of my congregation, and Moishe lit the first candle, an honor that was usually reserved for his father.
“We recited the prayer ‘He who performed miracles for our ancestors in those days at this time’, which has a special meaning now in light of our own Hanukkah miracle – that Moishe is here with us today,” he said.
Rabbi Holzberg said Moshe played with a dreidel while those on hand ate Sufganiot (Hannukah doughnuts); a Chabad flag retrieved from the house in Mumbai hung in the background.
“When we were in India we managed to recover four Torahs from the Chabad house,” he added. “Three were kept in a safe at the Israeli consulate, and we brought the fourth back home with us and it served us tonight. We also brought Gavriel’s silver menorah and Rivkah’s Shabbat candlesticks.”
Amazing It Brings tears to my eyes. How they let Moshie light the first candle.
Nebach. The little one should have a refuah of the neshomah, as should his grand-parents, and though it is little comfort, the knowledge that their parents died “al kiddush hashem”, and were mesiras nefesh in a time when few actually understand the meaning of that word.
All across the world, during chanukah lecht tzinden, I cried for the kedoshim of Mumbai (and Iran). This is something that doesn’t leave me, and I hope we never get numb to the pain we suffered, may that pain, and those tears bring Moshiach speedily.
Moishle’s grandfather;s name is Rabbi Shimon Rosenberg
Its sad so so sad I see the pain I see the love and I cry!!
Besides remembering the Jews of Mumbai also remember the Jews on Teiman (Yemen).
The kedushas levi says that as we light downstairs so is there a light lit upstairs in Shamayim. !!! Gavriel and his son Moishele lit their menorah. May we see the everlasting light speedily in our days.
oy..just looking at little Moishele starts the tears all over again.
MoshiachNow!!!!!
let his light always shine
Rabbi Rosenberg looks like such a warm, wonderful zeide. Though the very sight of Moishele still makes me cry, I’m so happy and grateful he is safe. A freilichen Chanukah to everyone and may we hear besoros tovos!!!
Moishe’le we love you! Be strong like your father and we will light up this world and bring Moshiach now!! May we all unite and light the Menorah in the Beis Hamikdash this Chanukah!!!
“shed some light on me”
i had tears rolling down my face and this zeida is one special man no wonder he had such a special daughter and you can see at the same time how much love is pouring out of the hero sandra towrds moishe she was a outstanding help for gaby and rivky and she is a special woman.
The innocence of this little boy should remind all of us to avoid the kind of sinas chinam that ultimately will be the reason z’man Moishiach will be longer and longer. May he provide the z’chus for all of us to see Moishiach bim’harah byamanu. Just watching the miracle of his survival and his holding the candle “lahadlik ner shel chanukah” makes me certain Moishicach’s time is near. I don’t care if you are Lubavitch, Satmar, Belzer, misnaged or g-d forbid, ‘modern orthodox, pleae tell me you could watch this video and not feel a chill that Hashem is telling us that the time is imminent..
I just watch this kid & cry
every day i think of the special kedoshim of mumbai.
and every day i think of little moishe’le.
i am happy to see that he is surrounded by loving family.
and my hope and prayer is that he will be raised with tons of love and warmth and happiness. and that Hashem will bless him with tremendous bracha and happiness.
i still wake up every morning hoping that today will be the day that we will all be reunited with his parents and all the victims when mashiach comes.
when i sang maoz tzur…. the last section- chasof zeroa kadshecha made me think about the 6 precious neshamos that we lost in india and the boys from mercaz harav… may we truly merit to see the light of mashiach before the end of this chanukah!!!
This kid, nebich, will be exploited for the rest of his life. Hashem yirachim.
that a family can be so strong after such a tragedy is amazing!
unfortunately, as much as we want to remember, we move on in life. and this is great that we see how little moshele is b”h in a warm and loving family, but he has a long road ahead of him and let us all pray for him. and let this be a sign for kllal yisroal that we are still in galos and daven for moshiach that he should redeem us all.
Thank you for such a simple and eloquent concurrence in a painful wish for the end of the insidious and hateful commentary that has become the norm. In the past several weeks, VIN has courageously printed several stories about young yiddeshe men and women who are clearly out of the mainstream from “traditional” yeshiva bochurim and beis yaakov girls but still convey an intense sense of yiras hashem. Each time, the outpouring of venom against them has been overwhelming. Chag sameach to you an everyone you hold close and a wonderful yeshar ko’ach to the invisible hands at VIN who bring us such wonderful stories.
To the grandparents חזק ואמץ
, and keep up the love for moishe, The lighting of חנוכה candles should bring happiness for moishe, and his grandparents and their families
א פרייליכן חנוכה
May we remeber the words of the Tzadik Rav Kahane, Z’TL “NEVER AGAIN” We must stand against all those whose sole wish is to anhilate us only because we are JEWS.
What”s the point in bringing TV to the house to report the menorah lighting
-zionist mehalech of PR-
enough let”s accept the גזירה and just Daven for ביאת המשיח תיכף ומיד ממש
חנוכה שמח
Although it brings some comfort that a chlld (who will live on) survived the massacre, the horrendous events, cannot, and should not be forgotton. I hope to live to see Hashem’s revenge on the planners of the massacre and their collaborators. I am certain that this day is not far away, when a terrorrist state will be devestated by a nuclear device. I will then be זוכה to film the mushroom cloud which willl arise בעגלא דידן
הרנינו גוים עמו כי דם עבדיו יקום ונקם ישיב לצריו במהרה בימינו אמן
i am sad for moishle sad at all he has gone through.but please remember all the other children who are lighting Chanukah Oil with out there fathers or mothers..I do not take away all the Lebavich does they do wonders to this world but there are others who have lost and they seem to be forgotten…
there is no doubt that moishele will do great things.
what a kid.
What a beautiful little boy, may he have a long and healthy life…G-D bless him!
Look at the video, Moishe’le is disoriented, like a little boy can be sometimes, but the family, they are singing, they are clapping, they are happy – this is the spirit! They go on!
I wish them all the best!
I am forever impressed by the strength and love from this family. Moishe is such a neshama, you just can’t stop loving him. When I saw the Saba (grandpa) dancing with him, I couldn’t help but think about how he must have danced with Rivka when she was that age. May all the victims of Mumbai find peace and comfort during this time.
I am not quite sure why the Rosenberg family finds it so necessary to constantly allow the media to keep on reporting about Moishes every move. Why dont they just close their doors to the media? Why have we not seen the media covering the Krumans family ? The media are evil filled self centered individuals and to cave into their demands further’s their evil agenda. The media thrives on tradgedy, thats what keeps them in business. If we just tell them that enough is enough, they will get the message and maybe shape up.
I just noticed that the article referred to Rivkah’s father as Rabbi Shimon Holzberg, instead of Rabbi Shimon Rosenberg.
I do not understand all the whining. Go light your Menorahs and count your blessings, just like the Rosenbergs!
I would like to wish each and everyone of us a Happy and Healthy Chanukah especially the Rosenbergs for the difficult task that occurred. I hope that all evil people are wiped out and that Moshiach comes speedily in our day.