ב"ה

Mission of Love

The Story of Those Cruelly Murdered at the Mumbai Jewish Center

Autoplay Next

Mission of Love: The Story of Those Cruelly Murdered at the Mumbai Jewish Center

A glimpse into the life of Rabbi Gabi and Rivky Hotzberg—the Chabad emissaries to Mumbai, India.

Topics:

Chabad-Lubavitch, Mumbai Terror Attack (2008)

© Copyright, all rights reserved. The content on this page is provided by our content partner, Chabad.org. If you enjoyed this article, we encourage you to distribute it further, provided that you comply with Chabad.org's copyright policy.

Join the Discussion

47 Comments

Newest

Oldest

RW October 3, 2025

Thank you for this video!
They are an inspiration! Reply

mendel lapine columbia missouri December 16, 2024

it was so sad i got sick just from hearing the news Reply

Fern Laffer Fort Lauderdale, Florida via jewishsunrise.org January 19, 2018

I had the pleasure of spending Shabbath July 2005 with Rabbi Gavi & Rivky Holtzberg for services and luncheon. What great hosts they were. I feel I am a fortunate person to have met such great people.
. Reply

sarah leah w. canada, U.S.A. via fcil.org December 13, 2011

wow... I was looking through these comments, and I think that even though Gabi and Rivky aren't with us anymore, they did a mitzvah. How?
Mary Martin just figured out she's Jewish, and that's thanks to this, to Gabi and Rivky's video. Reply

ruth housman marshfield hills, ma November 10, 2010

when night turns to mourning I watched this video with my hand to my heart and I tried to stop the tears, but they would not stop, and I am weeping, still.

I believe, there will be an answer, and I believe that answer is coming. What is clear, is what the Rebbe is saying, and that is, we sanctify by doing good deeds, by positivity, with heart and that is the definition, surely of, soul.

I don't believe it's over when it's over. And I mean there's another side to this story, and they live on, both in our hearts and in that beyond place, of soul. I see in the word exist, the word exit. And I see that life is a door, life is adore.

There is a deep and ongoing bipolarity to life and how it is lived. The phoenix does always rise from the ashes, and those of great heart, whose lives bear such magnificence, such magnification of the light, well, I don't for a moment believe they are gone. They surely live on, in others, and at a soul place I do believe, they are watching us, and whispering, climb that ladder. Climb! Reply

Moshe raffial BABA flushing newyork, u.s.a. July 15, 2010

In honor of these people at this very moment I will say my morning prayers and I will do it in honor of these good people who gave their lives for the sanctification of G-d's name. Reply

Birdi Ramat Gan, ISRAEL July 12, 2010

Their son Moshe's Indian nanny has just been given temporary residential status in Israel so she can contine taking care of this poor child who lost his 2 amazing parents to terrorism.
With much sadness I watched this heart wrenching video.
Am Israel Chai. (The Nation of Israel lives.) Reply

David Holt Portland, Oregon December 4, 2009

Holtzbergs I was so shocked and saddened last year when I heard of the Holtzberg's tragedy. A hard story to hear but in their lives they inspired me and many others to try to lead a more actively Jewish life.

My condolences to all of their family members and to all members of the greater Chabad family. Your work is making a huge difference. Am Israel Chai ! Reply

Anonymous North Hollywood November 26, 2009

un fair This is so sad when i heard this i did not like it one bit Reply

Jack de Lowe Raanana, Israel November 26, 2009

Make Aliyah Now The work, effort and ultimate sacrifice of this wonderful couple is of the highest order.
We must see that their efforts are not in vain.
And even more, we must make Aliyah (move to Israel) now for Aliyah together with living a more observant life will not only help protect our people, but it will also hasten the arrival of the Moshiach. Reply

Evan Heltay Toronto, Canada via chabadalberta.org November 26, 2009

Gabi and Rivka Holtzberg My wife and I, along with her entire family, spent a Shabbos with the Holtzbergs in Mumbai back in August 2008. Moshe was only one and a half at the time and he spent most of the meals attempting to get rice and puréed vegetables all over himself and anyone that ventured too close. He was a very cute and happy child who cherished the love and affection that his parents and the many guests in attendance at the Chabad house gave to him. His parents, Gabriel and Rivka were absolutely wonderful people. Warm, energetic, and dynamic. We connected with them via email prior to leaving Toronto and we first met them in person at the famous Keneseth Elyahu Synagogue (sometimes referred to as the Sassoon Synagogue), located adjacent to the Gateway of India, where Rabbi Holtzberg led davening. We davened with them Friday night as well as Saturday morning and afternoon. We also had the pleasure of joining them at the Nariman House for all 3 Shabbos meals, which I recall fondly as it was the only tim Reply

Suzanne Cohen-Blane via chabadberkeley.org November 21, 2009

Ritkva and Gabi Beautiful souls. They are an inspiration to do good around us and THAT is their legacy. They had to die to show us that people like them still exists. They have not been sacrificed in vain. It is a wake-up call to alert us that Jews should be more vigilant and be ready to protect themselves from the evil forces that surround the world more than ever. Let us not fool ourselves, the Human Race is not kind and we know it.
Exceptions like this young couple are rare, they are angels, that was the purpose of their life in this world. Reply

chana leah rego park, ny via chabadofnorthbrooklyn.com November 20, 2009

The video asks if a shot can be so powerful, how much more can kindness accomplish? But that is the question, isn't it. Despite all their kindness, those few shots destroyed them and their ability to do more. Reply

Anonymous Irvine, CA/USA November 19, 2009

We must stop being victims I pray for peace & do mitzvot. However noble this is. It doesn't inhibit these dark forces.
I'm saddened but also angry. This does not have to happen. We have been so conditioned that the authorities will look after us. We as Jews need to take responsibility for ourselves by not being easy victims.
So often I have tried - Begged my shul, my community to become more "Code yellow" More proactive with security, using people in our own community.A few trained parents at a Jewish function, knowing that their family are there, would be more effective than a couple of professional security guys doing another job.
I was part of such a group in S. Africa. We trained many in our community. We did neutralize threats before they happened. Word got to our adversaries that we were not a soft target & that we had a reactive capacity too. We had a 100% success. I remember how often threats were hushed up, so as not to make the community nervous. This is also being done here & it is dangerous. Reply

Marvin L. Skolnik. Chatsworth, CA/USA November 18, 2009

Evil. Desciribing this act of evil as a tragedy is an understatment. The murder (and the others) of these two wonderful people is beyond the assessment of moral degradation. It is impossible for me to believe that the perpetrators of this evil, claim to believe in the same g-d that we Jews believe in. I do not believe that they do. Reply

Brenda Ruche via chabad.org.uk November 18, 2009

Your Neshama is forever As the Rebbe of Blessed Memory once mentioned, our neshama (soul) is forever. Evil destroyed the Rabbi z.l and his beloved Rivki z.l but evil cannot destroy their neshama. All their mitzvots will go before them and may G-d bless little Moshe and all those who helped him.
Words are never enough to express the grief and anger. At first, I was mad angry, but prayed to G-d, then I had an inspiration. I will be a better Jewess and do more mitztvots in their blessed memories. They are an inspiration. Reply

Daniel F Katz Sydney, Australia November 18, 2009

An Example To Us All Such dedication and faith to be rewarded by such evil makes me angry that such young lives were ended. I often thought of the tragic death of Rivkah & Gavriel Holtzberg during the course of the last year.Not long after their murders, the parents of Gavriel were in Australia helping to prepare food for bushfire survivors.This video only makes me more determined to keep helping others who are less fortunate and how precious Judaism is for those Jews who need to be enlightened. May their memories not be forgottten Reply

Anonymous Skibbereen, Ireland November 18, 2009

terrorists they have to be stop, before they act, some people call it "preemptive strike," but this is the only way to overcome those fanatic evil people. First is to try to educate them, first by the media, than if they're caught - educate them in jail, and as a last resort, if they are unrepentant, to wipe them out. So the world will become a better place for good people, for those who like to live peacefully in this world. Reply

pogo prague, cz November 18, 2009

gabi and rivky No one can ever destroy what these two brought into the wold with their love and vision an it can only grow blessed with the tears of those feel their loss. We can understand such evil or senseless violence, for if we could understand it, we might also do it ourselves and be engulfed by such violence ourselves. work begun and live honorably in the the shadow of the light of those who showed us the way. Truly the loss is incomprehensible and the act reprehensible, but the goodness and the love of these two now touches and encircles the world. Reply

Chaya Gross Jerusalem , Israel November 18, 2009

Yasher Koach Beautifully done. May this film inspire the bringing of more and more light into the world until the complete and final redemption, immediately. We cannot wait a moment longer. It is ENOUGH! Reply

Mission of Love

The Story of Those Cruelly Murdered at the Mumbai Jewish Center

Mission of Love: The Story of Those Cruelly Murdered at the Mumbai Jewish Center

More in this section

Join the Discussion

Synagogue Services

Adult Education

Donate

Holiday Celebrations

Book an Event

Join as a member

Mission of Love: The Story of Those Cruelly Murdered at the Mumbai Jewish Center

More in this section

You may also be interested in...

Join the Discussion

Synagogue Services

Adult Education

Donate

Holiday Celebrations

Book an Event

Join as a member