While Americans were celebrating Thanksgiving, Islamofacist terrorists were blowing up Mumbai, India.
For three days, bombs were followed by fierce firefights. When the infernos had been put out, almost 200 people had died.
While every loss of innocent life is tragic, my own community was hit hard by the tragedy. Although Mumbai only has 1000 Jews in a city of 2 million (India itself has only 10,000 Jews among over 1.2 billion people), these people of the book were targeted by Islamic murderers specifically because they were Jewish.
A sect of Judaism known as Chabad is one of the most significant outreach organizations in the world.
Never has a group been more misunderstood while doing so much good. The first Chabad House was built in Los Angeles, and it still stands within walking distance to my home.
As previously mentioned, Chabad is an outreach organization. Outreach by definition means sending people everywhere, hence “reaching out.” Chabad Rabbis give up their comfortable lives in New York and Los Angeles to live in every part of the globe, all for the purpose of helping people. 29 year old Rabbi Gavriel Holtzberg was sent to India with his 28 year old wife Rivka. They did not go to India for glamour. They went their to bring the joy and sweetness of life that they had known in America to people in India. As a cruel reward, they were murdered by Islamic terrorists.
Members of Chabad are among my closest friends. I consider them members of my extended family. Members of our extended family were murdered, and we were going to shout from the rooftops that we need to act now. A memorial service took place on Sunday in memory of the Holtzbergs, and the other victims of this senseless tragedy. I have a million things I want to express, but more eloquent speakers than myself offered the complete spectrum of emotions in front of a crowd that was diverse, but one in being united in grief and seriousness of purpose.
Marshall Grossman began speaking.
MG: “There are over 3000 Chabad Houses world wide. The first one began here. Chabad Shliachs are committed to the spread of good and the destruction of evil. Chabad serves all faiths. May those who perpetrated this evil burn in Hell. We will continue the lighting of candles and spreading of joy.”
Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villagarosa has been a friend of the Jews, and showing solidarity is par for the course with him. He was at the airport ready to board a plane, but he called in, and with the help of technology, the cellphone blared through the sound system to the crowd. While the Mayor is not Jewish, he let the crowd know that “This was a crime that specifically targeted the Jewish community.”
An emissary from Israel then issued necessary words of what Judaism is about. What Americans refer to as 9/11, Israel calls every day life.
“We should not succumb or let terrorism dictate our lives. We must live our lives, and do good to other people. We are approaching Hanukkah. Hanukkah celebrates life and freedom of religion. Our religion confronts those that celebrate death by celebrating life.”
Rabbi Shlomo Cunin then came to the microphone. He is the head of Chabad of the West Coast. The Lubavicther Rebbe Menachem Schneerson dispatched Rabbi Cunin to Los Angeles as an emissary. Rabbi Cunin then honored the Rebbe’s wishes by sending emissaries of Chabad around the globe.
http://www.chabad.org/therebbe/default_cdo/jewish/The-Rebbe.htm
http://www.chabad.org/therebbe/article_cdo/aid/528345/jewish/A-Brief-Biography.htm
Rabbi Cunin has a forceful personality that is matched only by the forcefulness of the contributions his Chabad Houses have contributed to the world in the name of peace. He began by telling a story I have heard before, but one all should here.
SC: “In 1980, this Chabad House burned. The fire killed three people. On that day a firefighter came up to me. he showed me a picture of the Lubavitcher Rebbe that had been hanging in the Chabad House. He asked me who the man was. I told him, and asked him why he wanted to know. He told me that when I went inside the Chabad House and saw for myself what had happened to that room, it was a miracle that the picture of this man was untouched.
28 years later, who could have possibly imagined that two emissaries who gave their lives…opened their houses up for people 24/7…
6 million Jews perished because they were Jews. God…What is it? How much longer will the world suffer?
God…Shelter all of us regardless of race, color, or creed. Shelter all of those who perished in this horrible tragedy.
As for the perpetrators, you thought you would do us in. Let me help you get it straight.
We the Jewish people will join hands with India. India, Israel, and the greatest nation, the United States of America…we will grasp hands and make the world a better place.
We are also celebrating a miracle. A two year old child was saved from death by an Indian nanny who risked her life to save his. That child is not alone. Moshelah, we are all your family.”
Rabbi Shochet spoke next.
“In the aftermath of the Holocaust, there were diffferent types of people. There were those who despaired. I cannot criticize them. I never went through anything near what they did. Then there were those that were strong. I am dust under their feet.
There are three pillars of Judaism. There is Torah. There is prayer. There is charity. We must continue to do acts of kindness.”
Rabbi Cunin came back to the microphone.
“Have more children. The safety of our people depends on bringing more children into the world and raising them”
County Supervisor Zev Yaroslavsky spoke next.
ZY: “The targets of these terrorists believed in reason, justice, and righteousness.
What was a Jewish organization doing in India? India has 10,000 Jews among 1.2 billion people.
Chabad is on every continent. I picture going to Antarctica and seeing a sign welcoming people to the South Pole next to the sign that reads ‘Chabad, Antarctica.’
Chabad is a place where indigenous Jews can be among each other. It is a place where students can have a warm Sabbath dinner. Tikkun Olam spreads to all.
That building that was blown up had a Star of David on it. It belonged in India because we all believe in the value of the individual human being. That is not the view of the perpetrators.
We reacted the way the nanny did. We all wanted to do whatever we could to help. We are all part of the same story. As soon as we understand this, we can come together for good.”
The Chabad House Headquarters in Los Angeles is located directly across the street from the UCLA campus. The UCLA Medical Center is renowned world wide. Dr. Sherwin Eisenberg deals with optometry issues, mainly blindness in children. He has three centers in India that try to cure blindness in Indian children. He almost became a victim of the terrorism himself.
SE: “In India there are 100,000 blind children.
I was in Mumbai last Friday. I was invited to sleep in the Chabad House, but I declined. I already had reserved my stay at, of all place, the Taj Mahal. I saw Rabbi Holtzberg. He was in great spirits. He gave a sermon about how we will be measured by the way we treat our pets and other animals.
Imagine a man talking about the need to love animals…only to be massacred by human animals four days later. May the murderers receive what is coming to them.”
Delivering a forceful and absolutely necessary message was Councilman Jack Weiss.
JW: “In addition to the loss of life, one concept also died…the concept of non-alignment.
India was non-aligned during the Cold War. They took great pains to not be aligned against the USA or the USSR.
At this moment, when it comes to terror, you may not be non-aligned. You are either aligned with them or they will align against you.
Bali, Kenya, Israel, Spain, 9/11…none of us have the right to be non-aligned.
This will keep happening until we stand up.”
On a day when good men offered good words, a truly great man offered great ones. Rabbi Marvin Hier is the director of the Simon Wiesenthal Center. Simon Wiesenthal has spent decades hunting down Nazis and bringing them to justice. Rabbi Hier has dedicated his life to fighting hatred and bigotry in all of its ugly forms. He offered words of compassion mixed with jusified toughness.
MH: “Never has their been such a disaster between the worlds of light and darkness. The Holtzbergs prepared meals for traveleers. They provided prayer counseling for those seeking spiritual sustenance. They had no political motivations. They were just seeking to help make a better world.
Those that arrivedon the boat to blow up buildings attacked doctors, nurses, grandmothers, and grandchildren. We have never seen a plague like Islamic fundamentalism.
Even the Nazis, who murdered millions, did not want to die themselves. Even the Nazis valued their own lives. They killed, but they did not want to die. Even Nazis wanted to live another day.
Islamic fundamentalists want to die and collect their virgins. They want to sit at God’s table. They will not sit at the 50 yard line of Heaven.
It is not just the killers. The religious leaders who trained them are equally culpable. The Imams that taught hatred are just as guilty of murder.
The world must not remain silent.
The United Nations must make suicide terror a priority. The U.N. has called special sessions for drug trafficking and peacekeeping. The U.N. has never held a special session for the greatest crime of th 21st century, suicide terror.
Some want to listen to the grievances of the terrorists so we can understand them. Forget the grievances of the terorists. What about Holocaust survivors? They have grievances. Did you ever see Jewish Holocaust survivors blow up buses, or discos, or pizza parlors, or shopping malls, because they had grievances?
Holocaust survivors dignify the world. They do not destroy or demean it.
To the terrorists and terrorist supporters: You may have a new concept, but you have old methods. We have seen you and yours before.
We are approaching Hanukkah. One shining light from a candle brings more to humanity than your whole entire lives. The Jewish people will still be here while you will be deposited in the dustbins of history where you belong.”
John Fischel of the Jewish Federation offered life lessons.
JF: “The lessons we learn are…selflessness…peace…prayer through faith…and resilience. We need to engage in good will. We must have the resilience to continue good will.”
Sheriff Lee Baca showed empathy. Like the Mayor, the Los Angeles County Sheriff is a friend of Jews and other good people everywhere.
LB: “There are heroes in the military and in law enforcement. Yet those that are doing the work of God are heroes. Through study, service, commitment, and goodness…the Holtzbergs were heroes.
For those that want to win the battles against drug addiction and homelessness, Chabad is here. We want to put our arms around Chabad.
We hear about the Holocaust…I live as a Christian who loves the jewish people.
How many doctors, teachers, scinetists, and scholars did we lose? Judaism and the world are one and the same. All faiths must protect Judaism. The world would be a weaker and more backward place without Judaism.
I look forward to a world where we do not need law enforcement. Until then, I know that God does not reward murderers.”
Jimmy Delshad, the Persian Jewish Mayor of Beverly Hills, offered heartfelt words of solace and consolation.
“Chabad brings dignity, acceptance, and tolerance. We must hug, kiss, and accept each other. We long for Mashiach. There is a two year odl boy…who might be our Mashiach. He might be the one to heal the world. We must pray for him.”
Rabbi Cunin let the world hear the chant that should be spread to every corner of the Earth.
“I am Yisroel Chai! We want Mashiach now!”
The people I spoke to ranged from the well known to the everyman. Some Indian Seikhs attended the ceremony. As cliche as it may seem, all I could think of telling was what I said when I clasped their hands. “We are all Indians this week.”
When I spoke to Rabbi Hier, I let him know that my father was a Holocaust survivor, and I appreciated and honored his work. I thanked Dr. Eisenberg for his work with blind children.
I ran into my friend Brad Greenberg of the Jewish Journal. Like me, he also lamented that we had to meet under such circumstances. We both expressed a desire to see each other again for a happier occasion.
As for Rabbi Cunin, I once told him that a previous Yom Kippur speech had a shelf life of 1000 years. He responded back then by telling me “Just make sure you do not leave it on the shelf.” He prays for Jewish people everywhere, and I am praying for him and his family now.
His son Chaim and Chaim’s wife Tova have invited me into their home many times. They have treated me like family. That is why I saw them today. Chaim helps his father run the Chabad organization. He helps heal the world, and on this day it was he and his that needed healing.
The City that many in India still refer to as Bombay is known at this moment as a capital of sorrow. Yet India, like Israel and America, are democracies. They are rooted in religion, but remain secular at the state level. The people of India are good people. India has Muslims, Hindus, Seikhs, Christians, and even a small number of Jews.
The people of India are our brothers and sisters. They need us.
So what can we do?
The best thing we can do to defeat evil and darkness is to do what Chabad teaches. We must spread goodness and light.
Good deeds are many, but Tzedakah is the most important one. Tzedakah is charity.
In addition to Tzedakah, those who have the money and the time should travel to India. I booked tickets to New York within 24 hours of 9/11. A trip to India would show the terrorists that we will not stop living our lives.
As for me, I am looking forward to Hanukkah. Hanukkah is more than a tale of oil. It is about the Jews fighting to defeat the evil enemy and preserve the right to live and exist.
Our very existence as Jews and citizens of the world is at stake. Barbarism has struck again.
Civilization must respond loudly and forcefully.
As a Jewish man living in Los Angeles, I stand shoulder to shoulder with the people of Mumbai, India.
The terrorists will not win.
The terrorists have darkness.
Rabbi Cunin and his army of Chabad emissaries have righteousness and goodness backed up by 6000 years of tradition and light.
The terrorists will burn in flames. The Jewish people will be lighting flames of their own, as we embrace each other over Hanukkah.
We will light candles, spread light, and remember Rabbi and Mrs. Holtzberg.
Never again.
eric