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Moshe Holtzberg Still Says Goodnight to His Parents

Times of India

Three years ago, Baby Moshe, one of the unforgettable faces of the Mumbai attacks, escaped the carnage clinging to his nanny not knowing that his parents- Rabbi Gavriel Holtzberg and his pregnant wife Rivika – were killed. Now a four-year-old, Moshe knows they had fallen victim to terrorists.

Orphaned by the terrorists, Moshe is now a carefree child, though he remembers his parents whenever he sees their photographs, saying good morning or goodnight to ‘eema’ (mother) and ‘abba’ (father) each day. Resorting to childish mischief like any four-year-old, he often gives a tough time to his maternal grandparents Shimon and Yehudit Rosenberg with whom he is living in Afula along with nanny Sandra Samuel.

“He is very clever, very happy. He goes to school and comes to this place everyday. He knows his mother and father are somewhere in the sky. He says his parents are dead because terrorists killed them. Every day Moshe wishes his parents before sleeping. Every night he kisses the picture and says goodnight,” Shimon says.

Have you forgiven the terrorists? “No, of course not,” replies Moshe’s grandmother Yudith. His nanny says, “It makes me angry because they could have escaped but they did not do it and I could have done something, which in my cowardness I did not do.”

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14 Comments

  • Poor Kid

    I wish everyone would just let him grow up normally instead of making him crazy with all the press and negative memories.

  • pnina aaronson

    kol hakavod to sandra samuels. she rescued little moshe and has given up her life and family to help raise him in israel. what a selfless, good woman. she is truly a “righteous gentile.” i would love to meet her some day, i have nothing but admiration for her.

  • Mendy Mashnun

    Words cannot dicribe the honor required for such selfless individuals. Yichei! Adonaynu! Moreinu! V’rabeinu! Melech! Hamoshiach! L’aylem! Voiyed! We want Mosiach now mamesh!!!

  • Also agree with #1

    Of course they should keep reminding him about his wonderful parents, but to drill into him that they were killed by terrorists. Why do this to a 4 year old???

  • # 1

    2 #1 ure 100% right. this kid is being made into a nebach case. yes its very sweet and all but URE DRIVING THE KID CRASY..

  • Chana

    Completely agree with No.1.
    Let the child live a normal life already . . he’s B”H a regular little cute boy, let him live a regular life too! He can’t keep on living in the past forever!!!!!!!!

  • Poor Moshe-le

    I think Moshe shouldn’t live with his grandparents. He would be better off if he should like in young couples’ house with more children around like one of his aunts and uncles.

  • Insane

    Agree with #10
    and stop to use the kid to make money
    The grand parents can go to these things
    No need to brainwash little Moshe with this meshigas of going back to Mumbai
    It’s insane
    He can be a shliach in another place if he chose going shlichus

  • Rivka

    It is not for us to decide who Moshe should live with. If he was your grandson would you not want him in your home? And being honest with a child about what happened to their parents will help give him closure and some understanding of what happened to them. Would you have him told, “Abba and Ima are just gone.”? Of course he will ask why, and lying is not the right way to go.

  • Moshele

    I agree that he should live with more children. Living with an elderly couple (even his grandparents) could bring to unnecessary sadness. Maybe till he’s He’s a normal little boy who is the victim of senseless hate.