The baby Moses at his parents' memorial (AP)
When terrorists seized the Chabad House in Mumbai, nanny Sandra Samuel locked herself in a laundry room, as she tried to comprehend the situation and find a way to save herself and others. Sandra had been a longtime worker at the community house, where people routinely gathered to pray, share meals, and perform good works in the city. She specifically looked after Moshe (‘Moses’)—the 2-year-old curly-haired son of Rabbi Gavriel Holtzberg, 29, and his wife Rivka, 28. In the midst of gunfire and pure terror, Sandra would save the little boy, even as his parents were murdered while he watched.
According to Associated Press reports filed from Jerusalem, the nanny heard Moshe's mother screaming "Sandra, help!" Then the howling stopped, and it was still. The child had been somehow spared bullets and he sat with his pants drenched in his parents’ blood.
This planet has a profoundly skewed category in the library of its theologies.
We are all still waiting to hear from a thoughtful Islamic teacher on the rationale for this world jihad against babies, young parents, innocent tourists, airline passengers, embassy workers, US soldiers, Christians, Jews, Hindus, and any Muslims who happen to be in the way.
The AP: Sandra cracked open the door of her hiding place and saw a deserted staircase. She ran up one flight and found the rabbi and his wife, covered in blood and shot to death. She snatched up the crying boy, bolted down the stairs and ran out of the building.
My own family in Israel watched the televised memorial service for the young rabbi and his wife, which took place in a Mumbai synagogue. The AP: The cries of little Moshe wounded hearts…”Mommy, mommy, mommy!” he wailed, clutching a toy basketball while squirming in the arms of mourners at the synagogue.
Afterwards, an Israeli air force jet flew Moshe, Sandra Samuel, the baby’s maternal grandparents, and a few others to Tel Aviv to prepare for the burials of the young couple and the other four Israeli victims of the wanton siege in Mumbai. The toddler had never been to Israel, was now orphaned and enshrined in history, and just wanted his Mommy.
There will be serious discussions about the ultimate custody of Moshe Holtzberg. But people of faith are already forming a family circle around this little Moses and he will grow old, please God, in safety and warmth—even as he will undoubtedly retain the memories of his parents’ screams and the stains of their blood.
We are all custodians of Moses and every child in this world orphaned by the current insanity. We will defeat their brutality with the power of our love. But even the biblical Moses (who also survived terror as a baby) ultimately turned the mantle over to Joshua, the general.
Comments
Os líderes espirituais mulsumanos deveriam vir a publico e explicar a barbarie que tem sido cometida em todo omundo pelos seus fieis seguidores.Não será atraves da silência ,da oração ou até mesmo do fanatismo que as questões de odio,ou diferenças serão resolvidas na base de assassinatos.
Estamos aguardando
Ben you make me cry you always haeve. You should tell yor raeders what the spanish means from the other guy,
Ben
This has been a terrible trajedy. I appreciate your thoughtful comments, I too wonder why innocent children, by standers, and Jews are singled out to die by these terrorists. How will this help their cause? Will the pain and sense of loss they have brought into the world make us feel more open to what pain these terrorists felt that drove them to such brutal acts?
Zionism killed baby Moshe's parents and Zionism will bring a new holocaust to the Jewish people. Let us also mourn for Dr. Aafia Siddiqui and her missing babies and for the countless Palestinian babies that have been murdered.
The reason we have no peace is the pure evil represented by Ernesto, who heartlessly and viciously minimizes the suffering of an innocent 2 year old. Shame on you, Ernesto.
Oh heaven, does one child's life mean more than any other? Rabbi Kamin has repeatedly written about children of all nations and this strong plea of his mentions several groups that all are suffering because of this terrorism. So strange to read anyone saying that Zionism killed the baby when Zion is where the child's parents are being buried and where so many people from so many nations have come back from exile and being refugees since wwII. My children are being taught that they are the same as any child anywhere. How can anyone say that anything else but evil terror took this child. You just want to cry from all of this, especially such a reaction.
How much suffering do the jewish people have to endure? Our hearts and prayers go to the victims of this horrific attact.
God lets a loose noose,watching how far a person/people can go.Then he tightens the noose and crushes the person/people concerned,giving them the taste of their own medicine. They fall in the same grave,they dig for others.As you sow,you reap.Let us see how far a small country,a worm in our way of peace can go?
I am aware of what is going on in Mumbai and have read all of your comments. If you would read what you are writing, you would realize it mostly stems from some sort of religion. Hence the problem. This is a time of science and facts. It is fun to believe is religion and feel good about yourselves (if thats what ya need), but maybe some have gone to far. Life is to short...matt
The reason we have no peace is the pure evil represented by Ernesto, who heartlessly and viciously minimizes the suffering of an innocent 2 year old. Shame on you, Ernesto.
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