Baby Moshe is in Mumbai, ready to visit Chabad House
The death of a kin is always a difficult situation to deal with, but how does a two-year-old deal with it? Moshe Holtzberg, fondly known as baby Moshe, now an 11-year-old, lost his parents in the 26/11 Mumbai terrorist attack in 2008. He was just two then. Today, he has arrived in the city, almost nine years after the horrific incident, to visit Nariman House, where his parents were gunned down by terrorists.
“Shalom... bahut khushi (I'm very happy). I feel very happy to come to India, to Nariman House where I am going to pray. I will say hi to the people of India. I feel very good in this country,” said a beaming Moshe.
Moshe will visit the spot with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who is on a six-day visit to India. Prime Minister Narendra Modi met with Moshe in July, 2017, when he had gone to Israel. The boy showed impeccable maturity as he said, “Dear Mr Modi, I love you and the people in India, I remember our connection to Nariman House. I hope I will be able to visit Mumbai and when I get older, live there.” To which, our PM gave a hearty reply, “Anytime you can come to India. Anytime you can go.”
During the 26/11 Mumbai terrorist attack in 2008, Moshe’s parents Gabi and Rivka Holtzberg were gunned by terrorists at Chabad House, a Jewish cultural centre in Nariman House, Mumbai. Moshe, who was only two-years-old at that time, was saved by his Indian nanny Sandra Samuel, who ran out with him. Four other Jews were also killed in the attack.
Moshe moved to Israel after the attack and now stays with his maternal grandparents at Afula in Israel. Counselors state that the terror of the attack has not left any impressionable change on his personality, however, he does remembers Mumbai mumbles few words in Hindi.
Moshe will visit Chabad House on Thursday. Netanyahu will open a memorial for his parents and other victims of 26/11 attacks.
