India – A Jewish centre targeted in Islamist militants’ deadly attacks on Mumbai nearly 18 months ago will open a museum honouring the people killed there, it was reported Friday.
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Rabbi Nachman Holtzberg, whose son Gavriel and daughter-in-law Rivka were killed in the assault, said a small memorial and educational centre would be created at the five-storey Nariman House complex in the south of the city.
“The fifth floor of the building will be set up exactly the way it was when my son, daughter-in-law and little baby Moshe used to live there,” he was quoted as saying by the Mumbai Mirror newspaper.
“Moshe doesn’t fully understand what happened but he’s happy that there will be a museum in memory of his parents. His room, too, will be re-made as it was before,” he told the tabloid by phone from Israel.
“It will have his cot, his toys and a painting made by his parents that now has bullet holes in it.”
The daily said some of the couple’s belongings that were not destroyed in the attack would also be displayed. An educational centre and synagogue would be housed on other floors, Holtzberg added.
Six people, including the Holtzbergs, were killed when two heavily armed gunman stormed Nariman House on the evening of November 26, 2008.
Run by the US-based orthodox Chabad-Lubavitch movement, the centre, which is still scarred by bullets and fire, operated as an open house for visiting Jews and the local community.
The attack was part of a series of co-ordinated assaults on high-profile targets in Mumbai which left 166 people dead and more than 300 injured.
The only one of the 10 gunman to survive was last week convicted and sentenced to death.
The Holtzberg’s son, Moshe, now aged three, escaped the carnage after being plucked to safety by his Indian nanny.
Rabbi Avraham Berkowitz, director of a relief fund set up after the attacks, told AFP last year that the Holtzbergs would have wanted to rebuild Nariman House, making it “stronger and better than before”.
“That’s what we are committed to do… It’s for the whole of Mumbai, for the world to show that terror will not prevail and goodness will prevail in the world,” he added.
The grandparents are totally misguided and are using the whole Mumbai business for their publicity. Whom are they hocking a chainik that the 3 year old is very happy that there will be a memorial there. A 3 yr old doesn’t begin to grasp a concept what is happening. and neither does a 5 year old. Wow so touching to a baby. Toys sorrounded by bullet holes.
Dear Grandparents. Stop living your lives through this yosimul yingaleh (orphan baby). Rachmoneh Litzlon, you went through a tragedy that no one should have to go through. You are not stopping and taking things too far. Speak to any professional Psychaitrist or Psychologist and they will tell you verbatim the same.
You are following Rom Emanuels saying “Never let a crisis go by without taking advantage of it”. No problem. Not at your grandchilds expense.
Who on earth do you think you are? Sounds more than likley you are the typical arm chair critic, whiles away their hours dreaming up negative responses to any article posted on VIN. Me thinks you’d better do some teshuva PDQ!
Each parent does what they think is best for their child and since no two people think alike therefore their ways of mothering/fathering will differ too. All parents pray that their decisions have positive results and we shall pray the same.
Moishele, may Hashem be with you and may Hashem show your guardians right from wrong and keep you safe.
This is No. ! responding.
I feel terrible for all you people. Speaking from emotion without any merit whatsoever. 4 of your cursing that my family should get the sam as he did. Shame on you. It just so happens, that I am a PhD in Psychology. (and a practicing one). Every one of you are stam trying to justify a narishkeit that the grandparents are doing.
They have used this yingaleh from day one for their own misguided pursuits. They don’t mean bad but this shefaleh is being used. He should be left alone to grow up as a normal child with the understanding of what took place to him and his parents. This knowledge should be given to him on his cognitive and educational level. But to trumble this child out on every possible occasion in these first 2 years is reprehensable.
Please note the other families the Krohmans and the Teitelbaums etc, have not chosen this road. They carryon life as a beautiful family without bringing the children into every affair. They don’t have Avrum Fried sit in public in front of thousands of people singing to their children sad rachmonisdikeh songs.
All those that criticized me, don’t worry I understand you and forgive your good intentions.
No. Not every parent knows what is right for their children. The first comment is correct. The zaidy is making this entire episode into a Chabad affair. Its become a project to him. Not out of malice. But for the sake of the kinderlech, he should let his einickle alone. In the same manner that the other 18+ yesomim R”L were.
Shelting (cursing) does not get to the crux of the issue. Gut Shabbos
Having done extensive work in the area of bereavement with children and families, I can only assert that no one has the right to an opinion about how Moishele is being raised. To be so judgemental, even comparing and referencing the children of the other Kedoshim that were killed, is outright disrespectful. There is no one way or even a “correct way” to grieve or move beyond trauma and tragedy. One should hope never to be tested personally with such nisyonot. A second note, to the poster that said that you don’t know the names of the other orphans…. blah blah… because of the publicity seeking relatives…. There is nothing further than the truth. His grandparents are doing the best they can within their circumstances. Maybe we should (also) know the names of all the other yesomim and keep them in our prayers. It seems to me that the only “exploiters” are the negative and judgemental posters on this blog.
u are all a bunch of big mouths !!!! let them do what ever they want they are not asking you for anything or do to anything!! u dont agree with them tuff!!!! not everyhting in life will you agree with.everyone has another way of letting out their emotions and they chose this .Involving moishele is bery simple he is the only connecton left they have to their CHILDREN !! he lost both parents unlike the others who nebech lost one paren (bad enough) le them connect the way they would like to .