Moshe's heart is still connected to Chabad House: grandparents

Baby Moshe lives in Israel but he has memories of his toddler days here, according to Moshe's paternal grandparents Rabbi Nachman Holtzberg and Frieda Holtzberg

The boy, who had a miraculous escape in the attack on the Chabad House here on November 26, 2008, lost both his parents Rabbi Gavriel and Rivka Holtzberg.

“Moshe sketches the Nariman House [Chabad House], and says it's his house in Mumbai. Somehow his heart is still connected to this place, which he remembers very much. One morning, as he left the synagogue, someone said, ‘Come Moshe, let's go home,' and he replied, ‘No my home is in Mumbai,” the grandparents, who are here, told reporters on Wednesday. Their acquaintance Aimee Ginsburg played the role of the interpreter.

Ms. Frieda said four-year-old Moshe is “a happy and cute boy,” full of naughty antics. “He did some silly things to raise money for himself. When asked the reason, he said he needed the money to buy things for this house to make this place holy again.”

“Moshe cherishes the memory of his parents. Back in Israel, the family is building a charity institution in the name of Gavriel and Rivka. Moshe waves to their photograph and says bye bye ‘eme' and ‘ada' [mom and dad],” Ms. Frieda said.

Court dispute

Meanwhile, a court dispute has stalled work on the Nariman House. The Holtzbergs are in litigation with Rabbi Yosef Kantor, in charge of the reconstruction on behalf of Chabad New York. The property is in the possession of the court receiver.

A sessions court here on Thursday gave an interim relief to the Holtzbergs to conduct two memorial services at the Chabad House. However, it put a cap on the number of people who could attend the service at 50, defendant's counsel Eliren Russo told The Hindu over telephone.

A hearing to decide the trustee of the charitable trust, which owns the House, will take place on December 7.

Earlier, Rabbi Nachman said the family was “pained” that there should have been a dispute and that it came out in the open.

“It is painful for everybody that the dispute has gone public. The [Chabad] movement would like to stand united. It's a very sensitive situation.”

He said, “Soon after the incident, the mood in the family was to rebuild the House. But with the [Chabad] Centre, though we cannot speak for them, it became unclear that they want to rebuild the place. It took about a year until it became clear that the wills are not united. The family is waiting for the building to become functional.”

The grandparents wished that the Chabad House once again becomes a place of boarding and Hebrew learning for Jews from across the world. “If the Taj [Mahal Palace and Tower] hotel can start working again, why not this building?” he remarked.

On Thursday morning, the Holtzbergs lit candles in memory of their son and daughter-in-law.

“We cannot believe it's been two years [since 26/11]. We stand united with the people of Mumbai in their sorrow and offer sympathies to the bereaved families. We would like to dwell on how wonderful the children were and how they spent their lives in the service of others. We are impressed by the remarkable sympathy and support shown by the city,” Rabbi Nachman and Ms. Frieda said. They thanked India for “giving birth to Sandra Samuel.”

Sandra lives with Moshe and his maternal grandparents in Afula, Israel. She has been conferred the honorary citizenship of Israel for having saved the child.