r Editor's Letter jarc vth Annual Extraordinary Emissaries FALL FUNDRAISER T he reward can be great, but so can the risk. was not hurt. Chabad-Lubavitch shlichim, emissaries who are Talk about heroes! keepers of the Jewish people, bring Jewish outreach, Moshe turned 2 years old the day after his rescue. He's with big doses of joy and succor, to far-flung places around now with Rivka's parents. Another child was hospitalized in the world. It's their chosen path. Israel with Tay-Sachs disease at the time of the attack. The And it's comforting for Jews local to the area and for those Holtzbergs lost their eldest son, 3-year-old Mandy, to Tay- who are visiting to know there's a Sachs disease 21/2 years ago. Compounding the tragedy, Rivka Jewish spot they can go, whether was six months pregnant. for respite, a minyan, a kosher meal, words of inspiration, a holiday gather- Constant Threat ing or engaging company. The Chabad House is at the end of an alley so it's hard to But in these perilous times, Chabad believe the 10 terrorists didn't target it. Descriptions of the houses, despite being sanctuaries of death scene were horrid: live grenades everywhere; blood- good will, can't let down their guard. stained Torah scrolls and holy books; Rivka's body and other The 7,000 men and women reach- bodies wrapped in tallitot. "We estimate that she died earlier ing out for Chabad extends to Russia, and the rabbi covered her;' Shuki Brif of Israel's ZAKA disas- Serbia, Colombia, Zambia, South Korea ter victim identification force in Mumbai told reporters. and more than 70 other countries. That's a sobering reminder that Jews are vulnerable wher- I'm sure the late Lubavitcher rebbe, ever they congregate. What happened at 5 Hormusji St. could Menachem Mendel Schneerson, who died in 1994, would be happen at Jewish sites anywhere. The Holtzbergs kept in close mighty proud of the team of emissaries that he built. contact with the local Israeli Consulate and its top security Chabad houses specialize in Torah teachings and God's officer; still, their perceived protective shield was shattered. goodness yet no matter where they are, they represent prime The Holtzbergs gave up the comforts of the West and the targets for Islamist terrorists. closeness of family to spread Terror-mongers consider Jews Jewish pride in a distant, hard- and Israelis integral parts of scrabble part of the world. the hated West, putting Chabad Mumbai is a stopover for Jewish houses directly in the line of fire. businesspeople and Israeli tour- Enter Nariman House, the ists, including backpackers who five-story Chabad House in have finished military service or India. It's in Mumbai's Colaba their university studies. Nariman market district. The apartment House was a place to feel Jewish building was one of 10 sites in a largely non-Jewish culture. struck Nov. 26 in a coordinated India, a country of 1.1 billion terrorist attack on Mumbai, a people, is home to maybe 5,000 western India port city and a Jews; a quarter live in Mumbai, a financial hub. It took Indian city of 18 million people. commandos 62 hours to quell The Holtzbergs made the most the well-orchestrated siege, of their Mumbai experience which began Thanksgiving eve. despite the terror threat in India. Evidence suggests the terror- Propelling this remarkable cou- ists, believed to be trained in ple was the prospect of bringing Rabbi Gavriel and Rivka Holtzberg Pakistan, chose that date to gain together disconnected Jews and maximum news media exposure in exciting them through the art of America. Targets included Israel, American and British citi- dining and dialogue. zens as well as anyone Jewish. The Holtzbergs knew how to mix and mingle — and make it matter. Heroic Act "For five years, they ran a synagogue and Torah classes Five Israelis and a Mexican planning to make aliyah were and helped people dealing with drug addiction and poverty:' slain in the Chabad House attack. They included the local said Rabbi Moshe Kotlarsky, vice-chair of Merkos L'Inyonei Chabad emissary, Rabbi Gavriel Holtzberg, 29, and his wife, Chinuch, the educational arm of Brooklyn-based Chabad- Rivka, 28. The couple, in Mumbai since 2003, raised the Lubavitch. money to open the current site of their Chabad House — "Their selfless love will live on with all the people they their home as well as a wellspring of Chasidic bounty. touched. We will continue the work they started!" Sandra Samuel, 44, was a cook at Nariman House and nanny to the Holtzberg's infant son, Moshe. Twelve hours after Torch Bearers the reign of terror unfolded, Samuel heard cries from Moshe The Holtzbergs represented Chabad — a Hebrew acronym outside the laundry room where she had barricaded herself. for wisdom, comprehension and knowledge — to the fullest. She opened the door, grabbed the boy, saw his parents and It wasn't unusual to find 20-50 people at every homemade others lying on the floor unconscious and ran outside with another center worker. The boy had blood-soaked pants but Extraordinary on page A6 k A NEW MUSICAL joo iCKED THE UNTOLD STORY OF THE WITCHES uF OZ oin us or a wicke good time THURS DEC 11 7:30 PM DETROIT. OPERA HOUSE i f lk Since its inception in 1969, aro JARC has gained a national reputation for providing warm, loving homes and the highest quality of services for people with developmental disabilities. Now more than ever, your support can he0 keep the momentum growing so that JARC will remain strong, forever turning the cherished dreams of families and those we serve into realities. FOR INDIVIDUAL OR CORPORATE SPONSORSHIP INFORMATION Contact Carol Kaczander 248538.6610 x 343 CarolKaczander@jarc.org 30301 Northwestern • Suite 100 • Farmington Hills. MI 48334 BUY TICKETS ONLINE www.jarc.org December 4 • 2008 A5