INDIA — The Chabad Lubavitch outreach organization reports that Chabad Houses throughout India were crowded over the Rosh Hashanah holiday, despite warnings by Israel's Counter-Terrorism Bureau of plans to attack the facilities. Most participants were young Israelis vacationing in India.
India Chabad Houses Full Despite Terror Warnings
INDIA — The Chabad Lubavitch outreach organization reports that Chabad Houses throughout India were crowded over the Rosh Hashanah holiday, despite warnings by Israel’s Counter-Terrorism Bureau of plans to attack the facilities. Most participants were young Israelis vacationing in India.
The current Chabad emissaries in Mumbai, India kept the Chabad House open on Rosh HaShanah — as did other emissaries from the Chassidic sect at similar guest houses around the country — despite directives to keep a low profile. The emissaries, whose names were not made available for publication, said that they all received warnings against terrorist attacks on Jewish sites.
“Already a week ago, we received special directives to keep a low profile, to change regular patterns, not to leave home at routine times, and not to open to everyone. There is security around the house the entire time,” the Mumbai emissary told journalists before the Rosh HaShanah holiday, and asked to remain anonymous due to security concerns.
At least 20 Israelis had already called to say they would be coming to the Chabad House in time for the holiday. “I personally told them that there are travel warnings. There is concern, we’re only human, but concern won’t close the place,“ vowed the emissary, predicting it would be ”a chag sameach – a happy holiday.”
By the close of the holiday, his words had come true. Chabad Houses throughout India reported they were crowded with young Israelis who traveled there on vacation despite the warnings by Israel’s Counter-Terrorism Bureau of plans to attack the facilities.
The bureau had warned Israelis traveling in India to stay away from heavily populated areas or unguarded areas and in general to remain alert. A concrete alert was also issued for Kashmir.
According to a statement accompanying the warning, the terror organization that orchestrated the November 2008 attack in Mumbai is currently preparing to commit more attacks throughout the country, especially in areas frequented by Israelis and Westerners.
Rabbi Gavriel Holzberg, the previous director of the city’s Nariman Chabad House, his wife, Rivka, and seven other Jews were murdered during the 2008 attack, which lasted more than 40 hours.
