UPDATE 12:15 EST:
Very upsetting.
Rabbi Simcha Weinstein, one of my writing clients, is part of the same Chabad community in Brooklyn, where Gavriel Holtzberg grew up.
He tells me today via email that they are “rocked” by the murder of Rabbi Gavriel Holtzberg, 29 and his wife Rivkah, 28 in India:
His last known phone call was to the Israeli Consulate to report that gunmen were in his house. In the middle of the conversation, the line went dead.
The Holtzbergs joined the more than 125 people who were killed in the Wednesday night through Friday attacks, which saw dozens of suspected Islamic terrorists come ashore in Mumbai near the Gateway of India monument. The terrorists, carrying assault rifles and grenades, quickly fanned out to a central train station, the Chabad House and other tourist locations, including several popular hotels.
According to security services, the Chabad House was a pre-selected target.
Simcha tells me the Holtzberg’s son, Moshe, who survived the attacks, will turn 2 tomorrow. He was unharmed but covered in blood after being secreted out of the building.
They are asking for donations at Chabad.org and at ChabadIndia.org.
Donations are also invited to ZAKA (see below)
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Read More...An Israeli-based rescue service run by Orthodox Jews says staff members sent to Mumbai to help at the siege of the Chabad Lubavich Center are indicating the hostages inside are dead.
“Apparently the hostages did not remain alive,” the Zaka service said in a brief statement quoting its staff in Mumbai. It did identify the hostages nor say how many may have died. An Israeli rabbi and his wife had been believed to be held hostage.
