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December 12, 2008
From tears to actions
Chabad memorial unites the community.
DEENA LEVENSTEIN
"While the focus of this evening's memorial is on two of the Lubavitcher Rebbe's emissaries, Rabbi and Mrs. Gavriel and Rivka Holtzberg of blessed memory, we're mindful of all who lost their lives during those long, horrific hours in Mumbai ... for each individual person is a creation of Hashem and is here for a specific and special purpose," said David Emanuel at a Chabad memorial service for two of the six Jews slain in the terrorist attack in Mumbai on Nov. 26 to 28. Emanuel is a regular at Chabad's services and classes.
Rabbi Yitzchak Wineberg, director of Lubavitch B.C., estimated that nearly 600 people attended last week's ceremony at Chabad of Vancouver. This included more than 300 in the main hall downstairs, an overflow of people who could watch the event in real time on video from the sanctuary upstairs and many people who sat on the floor or stood along the walls. Rabbis and leaders from across the community attended, as well as all the Chabad rabbis from across the province, except Rabbi Binyomin Bitton of Chabad of Downtown who, through the generosity of a community member, was able to attend the funeral in Israel. Bitton was a good friend of Holtzberg.
After Emanuel's opening remarks, Rabbi Ilan Acoca, spiritual leader of Congregation Beth Hamidrash, Vancouver's Sephardi synagogue, recited psalms.
Garry Zlotnik, Jewish Federation of Greater Vancouver's board chair, spoke afterwards, expressing the importance of having proper security for Jewish institutions around the world. He announced that, at the board's meeting the night before, they'd approved "$107,000 in grants for security upgrades to local Jewish institutions." He continued, "This follows previous grants of $40,000 approved last spring and grants of $111,000 from the government
Security Infrastructure Program for which we [the Federation] facilitated applications by four local organizations." Zlotnik concluded by saying, "We're doing what we can do to ensure that we are masters of our own destiny and that we participate in history, we shape history and write it, working together."
Gerry Cuttler, chair of Canadian Jewish Congress Pacific Region, spoke next. He expressed gratitude to Sandra Samuel, the employee of Chabad house in Mumbai, "whose heroic efforts saved Moshe, the young son of Rabbi Holtzberg and Rivka."
Speaking of the Jewish future, Cuttler said, "We have to consistently stand together with all people of good will to condemn and fight terrorism.
"After all of the struggles of our people, we know it's what we must do and we are resolved to do it," he added.
Arnold Silber spoke about his personal connection with the Holtzbergs, when he and his wife travelled in India and stopped at the Mumbai Chabad House in January 2007. He told of the warm way they were welcomed and concluded by saying, "They will live in our memories as a very special couple, young enough to be my own children," but with "a capacity far ahead of their youth to associate in outreach."
A 15-minute video presentation followed. It told the life stories of Gavriel Holtzberg, who grew up in Israel and then New York, and of Rivka, who grew up in Israel. They met and got married in 2001. Shortly following their wedding, they decided to be shlichut (emissaries) in Mumbai, India. Throughout the video, many photographs and short video clips were shown, mostly of the couple's active life in Mumbai, displaying their enthusiasm and passion for their work.
The Holtzbergs offered many services to the local Jewish community and visitors, including providing kosher chicken, officiating at weddings and teaching. They had meals for guests during the week and on Shabbat. They even built a mikvah (ritual bath).
After the video recounted the events of the terrorist attack, a clip of the Lubavitcher Rebbe was shown. He said in Yiddish, "Through building, you will be comforted." This talk of the Rebbe was given following a massacre in Kfar Chabad, Israel, in 1956.
Wineberg, the final speaker of the evening, said, "The Rebbe always spoke of the importance of building. His comforting words to the devastation in Israel [in 1956] were not words of explanation, because there is no explanation. They were not words of comfort because there is no comfort." He continued, "You want to be comforted? Build. Do. Make a difference."
To fulfil this, Chabad B.C. has dedicated two programs to the Holtzbergs' memory. On Dec. 4 was an evening bringing Jewish educators together to discuss the state of education today and the N'Shei Chabad women's event on Dec. 8 was also dedicated to the "short but meaningful life" of Rivka Holtzberg.
Finally, Wineberg urged people to attend the first night of candlelighting at the big chanukiyah Downtown at the corner of Georgia and Howe streets. This, too, will be dedicated to the Holtzbergs.
Each attendant at the memorial was given a card on which they could check off the mitzvah they wanted to take upon themselves in honor of the Holtzbergs.
Wineberg finished by saying, "We will double all of our efforts to bring their neshamas nachas [souls joy] that they should know that what we do is in their honor and as a tribute to them."
Deena Levenstein is a freelance writer from Toronto, Jerusalem and now Vancouver. You can read her blog at www.deenascreations.wordpress.com.
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