Holtzberg couple known for 'good deeds'

Chabad emissaries, raised in Israel, went to Mumbai 6 years ago.

By MATTHEW WAGNER
Rabbi Gavriel Holtzberg, 29, and his wife Rivka, 26, arrived in Mumbai six years ago as official emissaries of Chabad. Gavriel, who was born in Israel and grew up in Kiryat Malachi, moved with his family to New York at age 10. He has dual citizenship. Rivka, the daughter of a Chabad emissary in Afula, grew up in Israel. "We are praying that everything will be OK. We are still in a state of uncertainty," said her father, Rabbi Shimon Rosenberg, in Afula, before flying out to Mumbai with his wife. Chayki Rosenberg, Rivka's sister, described her as very active and energetic. "She is always ready to help and to cook and gives lots of classes for women at the Chabad House in Mumbai," said Chayki. Their only child, two-year-old Moshe, was rescued from the Islamic terrorists that stormed the Chabad House and other locations around Mumbai. "We have no information other than the grandson managed to get out alive, and we hope our daughter and her husband will be okay," said Rosenberg. "They have been in Mumbai for five years and their whole cause is to do good deeds for people." He said he had last spoken to his daughter on Wednesday and "everything was normal." Over a year ago, the Holtzbergs purchased a house in the Colaba area, which is frequented by tourists and is, therefore, ideal as a center from which to undertake Jewish outreach. Unlike Bombay or other locations in India that are frequented by Israeli backpackers, Colaba, a business center, attracts primarily businessmen. The Holtzbergs regularly host between 30 and 70 Jewish travelers and provide regular kosher meals, Torah classes and a place to stay. Nearby there is a mikve. AP contributed to this report.