An opportunity for mitzvah in the midst of mourning

Monday night and elsewhere around the world, Chabad organizations began to unveil a very determined and organized campaign to keep the spirit of Rabbi Gavriel and Rebbetzin Rivkah Holtzberg alive several days after their shattered bodies were discovered at the Nariman House, the Chabad House in Mumbai. While similar faith-based groups might point to the need to keep their programs alive and campaign for monetary contributions in the memory of those lost, Chabad asked instead for a commitment from those attending the memorials that was far more lasting than financial. After showing short videos on the lives and sharing some of the experiences of the Holtzbergs, they asked for mitzvahs to be observed. They asked that Jews be more Jewish in the way they live so that the Holtzbergs loss to the world would become more of a blessing than a tragedy. Women who never light Shabbat candles or men who never lay teffillin (phylacteries), for example, were encouraged to start. Everyone was asked to learn to read Torah or to begin to keep a kosher home. What they asked for in return were small items to some, but reflected a lifetime of commitment to Jewish faith and practice. Chabad's shluchim reflect on the Hebrew word shaliah, which means "legal emissary." The first shaliah to whom the Torah refers is Eliezer, who was sent by Abraham to find a wife for his son Issac. The Chabad organization has sent hundreds of shluchim across the globe for decades to areas that are somewhat devoid of observance (domestic posts like here in New Orleans) and to places that are flashpoints for violence or under oppression from governments (places like the Congo and Morocco come to mind). Similar husband and wife or rabbi and rebbetzen teams have willingly left the relative safety of American homes to struggle in far-away lands attempting to build Jewish homes and community. It is incredible for me to consider that they are all observant Jews inspiring others there with acts of chesed (kindness) and ask nothing more than that Jews live a more observant lifestyle. To this end the Chabad.org site has created a "good deed" site where others can pledge their mitzvot (commandments) in memory of the Holtzbergs. Meanwhile, the Holtzbergs were buried to the tears of hundreds of compatriots and family members there. Both Holtzbergs carried Israeli citizenship, although Rabbi Gavriel was a naturalized American who held dual citizenship. Tragically, the Holtzbergs lost a very young daughter to a genetic disease this past year and the fact that Rivkah was six months pregnant at the time of her murder was revealed by her grandfather, a Chabad rabbi living there. The brightest spot in the midst of this very grave event was the successful rescue of Moshe, the Holtzbergs' son who turned two this past Saturday. The nanny, Sandra Samuel, is being considered for the coveted title of "Righteous Gentile," a term that Yad Vashem, the Israeli organization that bestows the honor, usually only considers for rescuers of Jews during the Holocaust who did so at great peril to themselves. Obviously, Samuel's actions meant life for the Holtzberg family in the midst of death. Her brave actions ensured the survival of the young boy who cried "Ima...Ima! (Mama...Mama!) at his parents' funeral yesterday. She arrived in Israel on a visa Monday night and will stay with Moshe for at least a year. If bestowed the title of Righteous Gentile, Samuel may elect to stay there permanently. In the meantime, one does not have to be Jewish to remember the victims of the Mumbai Massacre. There were 172 people slaughtered in coordinated attacks of terror in the city formerly known as Bombay. If we all do one thing in remembrance of those slain -- act with kindness towards one of our fellow humans near us -- we will honor their memories to the penultimate degree and cheat their murderers of any victory.

A heavy heart

The worst news that people had prayed would not occur was confirmed yesterday when Indian commandos finally took over the Nariman House, or Chabad House of Mumbai. When the body count was taken, six people were known to have been slaughtered including Rabbi Gavriel and Rebbetzin Rivkah Holtzberg. One American woman, Leibish Titlebaum from Brooklyn, and Bentzion Chroman, who like Rabbi Holtzberg carried dual American and Israeli citizenship, were among the dead. Rebbetzin Holtzberg was an Israeli. The couple's two-year-old orphan is still reported as doing well, but reports circulated yesterday that when he was rescued, his diaper was soaked in blood. Even though I never met the Holtzbergs, it is with great sorrow that I report on this horrible tragedy. The work that Chabad Centers across the globe do has always been done with the best of intentions, though I admit many traditional Orthodox Jews do find some aspects of their outreach to other Jews as unsettling. Nevertheless, very few considered that Chabad emissaries would be putting their lives at risk just by keeping their doors open to Jews and others in outreach communities. The deaths of the victims in Mumbai were confirmed by Chabad Rabbi Mendel Rivkin on the Ten Commandments Hike yesterday when he spoke at Congregation Anshe S'fard in late morning. It was especially significant that so many Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts, adult leaders, parents, siblings and friends could gather and learn of the deaths of Jewish religious leaders and make a connection with them, if only for that one instant in time. Rain did not dampen the spirits of those in attendance even though the kosher lunch was punctuated by periods of heavy downpour. When, at least, the clouds parted and the sun came out, only two stops remained for the younger crowd and three total for the rest of the hikers. The hike ended before 5:00 p.m. and all felt they had participated in a special interfaith event that supported worship in each other's own faith.