Rabbi Israel Kozolovasky heads Nariman House that was under seige during 26/11 terror attacks, Mumbai.
The Nariman House, also called Chabad House, that was under siege during the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks, is being converted into a 'living memorial' dedicated to those killed in the carnage. A formal announcement on the memorial, being set up by Jewish organisation Chabad-Lubavitch, will be made during the Mumbai visit of Israeli Prime Minister
Benjamin Netanyahu on Thursday. Rabbi Gavriel and Rivka Holtzberg, the Jewish couple who served as directors at the Nariman House, were killed along with six others during the November 2008 terrorist attack. The couple's son
Moshe Holtzberg, who was two years old then and was saved by his Indian nanny, Sandra Samuels, is in Mumbai to visit the Chabad House. Now 11, this is old Moshe's first visit since the tragedy struck the family more than nine years ago.
10 Facts About Nariman House 'Living Memorial':
Nariman House or Chabad House has been a cultural and outreach centre for the Chabad-Lubavitch movement in the five-storey building located in south Mumbai's Colaba area and will now be converted into a 'memorial' dedicated to those who were killed during the 2008 Mumbai attacks.
The 'living memorial' is being designed by an Israeli designer, who is a specialist in designing "experience centres" across the world.
"It has been designed to educate and inspire people of all faiths to act for the betterment of themselves, their communities and the world," Rabbi Israel Kozolovasky, who heads the Nariman House at present, told PTI.
The memorial will put the spotlight on the lives of Rabbi Gavriel and his wife and the ideals and values that catalysed them to pursue their lives for the benefit of the humanity.
The terrace of the Nariman House will be turned into a reflection garden where names of all the 2008 Mumbai attack victims will be engraved.
A portion of the fifth floor, destroyed by bullets in the terror attack, will be kept as it is. The memorial, made in the memory of 26/11 terror attack victims, will also include the apartment on the fifth floor where Rabbi Gavriel and his wife used to reside with their son Moshe.
As part of the memorial, the fourth floor will house a museum and the Chabad Trust plans to keep the place open to visitors from India and the world.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi had met Moshe and his grandparents during a visit to Israel in July last year and told him that he could visit India anytime.
"Moshe definitely has a huge emotional with both India and Mumbai. The Nariman House was the place where he got the last hug from his mother and the last kiss from his father," Mr Kozolovasky said, adding, "This was the place where he last heard their voices. This boy has become one of the faces of the 26/11 terror attack. We all are excited about his visit."
Chabad Trust is working on a detailed plan to raise funds for the memorial. "We are exploring all options to make the funds available for this memorial. After all, it will reflect the spirit of Mumbai and India, which has successfully fought terror on many occasions," Mr Kozolovasky said.
(With inputs from PTI)Post a comment