Jerusalem – Five Years Later; Moshe Holtzberg And Sandra Samuel Join Friends And Family To Honor Mumbai Terror Victims

Jerusalem – Five years after a terrorist attack in Mumbai killed Rabbi Gavriel Holtzberg and his wife Rivka, their seven year-old son Moshe, along with Sandra Samuel—the Indian nanny who fled the attacks carrying Moshe in her arms—joined family and friends on Jerusalem’s Mount of Olives to pray on the fifth anniversary of the death of the Holtzbergs.

THE INDIAN EXPRESS (http://bit.ly/1hikkqD) reports that among those attending the November 4 remembrance was Dr Aaron Abraham, a close personal friend of the Holtzbergs who viewed them as both mentors and spiritual guides and who loyally stood guard over their bodies at a Mumbai morgue so as to ensure that their bodies would not be violated through autopsy.

Dr Abraham said that within year of the attacks his spiritual bond to the Holtzbergs remained so strong that he moved his entire family to Israel, where he and his wife Ruth officially converted to Judaism on the first year anniversary of the Holtzbergs deaths.

According to Dr Abraham, Moshe Holtzberg, who lives with his maternal grandparents Rabbi Shimon and Yehudit Rosenberg in Afula, is a well-adjusted 7 year-old boy whom he faithfully visits.

“I meet Moshe twice a month He is a healthy and happy boy, who has a team of psychiatrists, paediatricians and social workers to look after his development. He has been immunized according to the Israeli health ministry’s protocols. When he was around four years old, he had once said he wanted to go to his Abba’s house. His resemblance to his father is extremely strong, and I feel like I am meeting Gavriel every time I meet Moshe,” said Abraham.

Abraham added, “He (Moshe) is a very sweet and intelligent kid. He is in the second grade at the Chabad School in HaEmekin Afula. He has learnt almost all the prayers, and prays every day. He has his own small desk to keep his prayer. Most of his time goes in reading and learning the Torah. He loves his parents very, very much. During his prayers, he asks God to bring his parents back, and that they should never leave him again. He also requests the Rebbe of Chabad to pray for the same thing.”

Moshe’s Indian nanny Sandra Samuel also migrated to Israel after the attacks, where she, too, has been granted citizenship in Israel.

Like Dr Abraham, Sandra frequently visits with Moshe, while she spends the rest of her time working at a center for children with special needs.

Abraham said they all met on the Mount of Olives for the fifth death anniversary of the Holtzbergs.

“Their son Moshe was driven down by his grandparents. Gavriel’s parents were also there, as was Moshe’s nanny Sandra. My wife and I also drove down to the cemetery, and we all prayed together,” said Abraham.