Our Heros in India

B"H

"And Jacob left Be'ersheva, and he set out for Charan" (Genesis 28:10)

This week marks the One year anniversary of the horrific terrorist attacks that occurred in Mumbai, India.
One of the targets was the Chabad house, where, together with 4 other innocent Jews, Rabbi Gabi Holtzberg & his wife Rivki died al kidush Hashem - for the sake of G-d, for being Jewish.

Late this Thursday morning, many gathered on the streets below my Yeshiva in the Geula neighborhood of Jerusalem.
We sang and danced, gathering there to celebrate the inauguration of a newly built office building.
This office for Mayanot (my yeshiva) was named & dedicated in loving memory of the Holtzbergs.

One of the speakers was Rivki's brother, who runs his own "Chabad House" in Northern Israel.
He based his words on a verse found in this week's Torah portion:
"And Jacob left Be'ersheva and he set out for Charan."
He mentioned the explanation of our Rabbis, that Be'ersheva was a place where Jacob had been living serenely for the last 14 years, learning Torah and basking in the spirituality of his serene environment.
Charan, however, where he was headed to work for his uncle and start his family, was an extremely lowly and immoral place.

His sister Rivki, and brother-in-law Gabi, he explained, did the same thing.
They left Israel, where they lived and enjoyed all the physical and spiritual comforts a Jew could ever want, in order to go
to a place where every four steps a new "god" is being worshiped and poverty is rampant. No comforts. No serenity.
But they went nonetheless, in order to build a home of warmth and love for any Jew who found him/her self in Mumbai.
They suffered much hardship (losing 2 children from Tay-sachs disease) and yet always hosted loads of guests every night of the week with great warmth and friendship. They were like Abraham & Sarah of old, a tent of warmth and holiness for any hungry soul that happened to pass their way.

Since I felt I couldn't do justice to their amazing lives of self-sacrifice, I'm posting 1 story here to give a tiny glimpse into the lives of these holy "shluchim" - Chabad emissaries. May their memories inspire us to emulate their beautiful ways.
To learn more about them, check out: Chabad.org

They Had No "Personal Space" or "Down Time"

by Hillary Lewin

Many of you first heard of the Holtzberg family three days ago when news of the Mumbai hostage situation emerged. I feel compelled to write this letter, because I want the world to know who Rivky and Gabi Holtzberg were in life and to tell you what I witnessed of their accomplishments in their brief 27 and 29 years on earth. While I am devastated by their death, I am thankful that my life and so many others were touched by their purity, friendship and spirit.

Before I entered the Chabad house in Mumbai, I thought, "What kind of people would leave a comfortable and secure life in a religious community to live in the middle of Mumbai; a dirty, difficult, crowded city?" As I got to know Rivky and Gabi over the course of this past summer, I understood that G-d creates some truly special people willing to devote their lives to bettering the world.

I was first welcomed by Rivky, who had a big smile on her face and her baby Moishie in her arms. She ushered me and my fellow travelers into the Chabad house and immediately offered us something to eat and a sofa to rest on. We quickly became good friends. We bonded with the Holtzberg family and the staff at Chabad, including Sandra, the heroine who saved baby Moishie's life.

Like his parents, Moishe is a sweet, loving, happy baby. He was so attached to Rivky and Gabi. He got so excited to sing Shabbat Z'mirot (songs) every Friday night with his father, and I could tell by the light on Gabi's face when they were singing together, that he looked forward to it too. It breaks my heart that I can still hear Moishie's voice calling, "Ima, Ima, Ima", and she will no longer be able to hold him or rock him in her arms.

On my second Shabbat at Chabad, Rivky told me there were two Israeli men staying at the house who were just released from an Indian prison. When I saw these men sitting at the dinner table, I was startled. One man had only a front tooth and a raggedy pony tail, and the other looked like an Israeli version of Rambo. I observed the way that Gabi interacted with them and how they were welcomed at the Shabbat table the same way everyone else was, and my fears melted away. Over the course of the night, I learned that these men were not the only prisoners or ex-convicts the Holtzberg's helped. Gabi frequently brought Kosher meals to Israelis in prison, spent time with them, listened to their life stories, and took them in after their release.

I realized that Gabi and Rivky's job was not only to run a Chabad house and provide warm meals and beds for weary Jewish travelers, it was much greater. The Holtzbergs were running a remarkable operation.

They took their jobs as shlichim (emissaries) very seriously. Their lives never stopped. There was no such thing as "personal space" or "down time". The phones rang constantly, people came in and out like a subway station, and all the while Rivky and Gabi were calm, smiling, warm, and welcomed everyone like family.

Rivky spent each day cooking dinner with the chefs for 20-40 people, while Gabi made sure to provide meat for everyone by going to the local markets and schechting (slaughtering) them himself. They also provided travelers with computers for internet access, so that they wouldn't have to pay for internet cafes. They even took care of our laundry. Having spent much time abroad, it was clear to me that Rivky and Gabi were unusual tzadikkim (righteous people).

On my last Shabbat in India, Their apartment was dilapidated and bare but the guest quarters were decorated exquisitely. I slept in Rivky and Gabi's home, the 5th floor of the Chabad house. I noticed that their apartment was dilapidated and bare. They had only a sofa, a bookshelf, a bedroom for Moishie, and a bedroom to sleep in. The paint peeled from the walls, and there were hardly any decorations. Yet, the guest quarters on the two floors below were decorated exquisitely, with American-style beds, expansive bathrooms, air conditioning (a luxury in India) and marble floors. We called these rooms our "healing rooms" because life was so difficult in Mumbai during the week. We knew that when we came to Chabad, Rivky and Gabi would take care of us just like our parents, and their openness and kindness would rejuvenate us for the week to come.

The juxtaposition of their home to the guest rooms was just another example of what selfless, humble people Rivky and Gabi were. They were more concerned about the comfort of their guests than their own.

The Holtzberg's Shabbat table was a new experience each week. Backpackers, businessmen, diplomats and diamond dealers gathered together to connect with their heritage. We always knew we were in for a surprise where an amazing story would be told, either by Gabi or a guest at the table. For each meal, Gabi prepared about seven different divrei torah (words of torah) to share. Though most of them were delivered in Hebrew (and I caught about 25%), his wisdom, knowledge and ability to inspire amazed me. Rivky and Gabi were accepting of everyone who walked through their doors, and they had no hidden agendas. Rivky once told me that there was one holiday where they had no guests. It was just herself, Gabi and Moishie. I expected her to say how relieved she was not to have guests, but she told me it was, in fact, the only lonely holiday they ever spent in India.

I remember asking Gabi if he was afraid of potential terror threats. Although his demeanor was so sweet and gentle, Gabi was also very strong-minded and determined. He told me simply and sharply that if the terrorists were to come, "be my guest, because I'm not leaving this place." Both he and Rivky believed that their mission in Mumbai was far greater than any potential terror threats.

Everything Rivky and Gabi did came from their dedication, love and commitment to the Jewish people and to G-d. I cannot portray in words how remarkable this couple was. If there is anything practical that I can suggest in order to elevate their souls, please try to light candles this Friday night for Shabbat, improve relationships with family members and friends, try to connect to others the way that Rivky and Gabi did: with love, acceptance and open arms. There is so much to learn from them. May their names and influence live on, and inspire us in acts of kindness and love.

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May we all take to heart the inspiration of these spirit driven, selfless, holy souls into our own hearts, and direct our strengths to the good. To add in one positive deed in their memory,
click here:

Shabbat Shalom!

-Daniel
Jerusalem

P.S. To view either an:
8 min. very powerful video (might want to skip the beginning) see:
http://www.chabad.org/1043611
or
a 2 min. video of Rivki speaking about her life in India:Click here