My Dear Friends,

We have gathered here to pay respect to a wonderful Chabad couple, Rabbi Gavriel and Rivky Holtzberg. They, with four others, were ruthlessly killed in an attack on a Chabad house in India.

At the eulogy in Israel, President Shimon Peres, spoke about the cry of the 2 year old baby boy saved from the massacre. The little boy just celebrated his 2nd birthday. Sadly his birthday present was attending the funeral of his martyred parents.

The little boy's name is Moshe and he cries "eyfo Ima - where is my mother?" Moshe was saved by his Indian nanny, Sandra Samuels, and is being consoled by her.

President Peres spoke, and I quote "We need to be able to answer clearly why little Moshe's mother was murdered." He went on to explain that the world is divided into two places, one in which people are cruel as animals, and places in which people know that they are created in the image of G‑d.

I don’t buy that. I believe that all mankind is created in the image of G‑d and that there are not two places. There is one world and one G‑d. People are free to choose to be good or evil!  The terrorists choose to erase the image of G‑d. By killing so many innocent people and causing major havoc they almost succeeded. 

Many of you are unaware of the following. Rivky was in her 5th month of pregnancy. She was hoping to expand her family. She relentlessly worked on providing kosher food and comfort to the thousands of guests. Rav Gavriel worked day and night in providing the spiritual and physical needs of so many. His Chabad house was a 7/11 and now it is a 9/11.

Reflecting on the Bible we are told of our humble beginnings. In our early history, we Jews were enslaved in a foreign country, Egypt, and then came the prophet, the first Moshe. He was told by G‑d to lead the Jews out of slavery. Moshe, too, asked, where is justice? Where is the comfort and genteel G‑d? “Where is Ima? – mother, - the faith and hope of mankind?” He was told that the Egyptians have choices. Good or evil. They chose evil, to enslave a people.

The Holtzbergs, like the early Jewish settlers in Egypt, were living in a strange land full of strange customs and gods but they opened their hearts, and home, to the many thousands who passed their household. They comforted and greatly helped all in need. So much good has happened because of their self-sacrifice and now, what was their reward? I don’t know. But then again, for believers there are no questions. For non-believers there are no answers.

Remarkably, our prophet Moshe was saved by an Egyptian princess, Basya, and our little Moshe was saved by an Indian nanny. Both of these women had free will and chose to do what was right.

We must remember evil people are evil and are so by free choice.

Our coming here tonight is to infuse ourselves with conviction that by doing the Lubavitcher Rebbe's work of spreading kindness to the world, our world, becomes a safer place for all people. We must, at this time, remember to be strong, stronger than ever. To be on the forefront in teaching, caring, and being generous. By doing so we defeat the nefarious terrorists' plans and G‑d will prevail. The light of our tradition must shine even brighter than ever.  We pray that the souls of the holy victims be honored by our increasing in good deeds, reaching out to others and bringing peace to the world.

Last, but not least, to the family and friends of the victims, to the citizens of India, to my fellow Jewish brethren, be strong.  Have faith and resolve to carry out the goodness started by the Rabbi and his family.  May the light of right, overcome the darkness of violent might, and may the souls of the martyred find shelter in the Almighty G‑d.  Amen.

I have a special connection to this ongoing saga. My oldest nephew is Rabbi Yosef Chaim Kantor. He is the Chief Rabbi of Bangkok, Thailand. He has built the network that helps people during their travel to that area. Tonight his family is in a hotel due to the unrest of Thailand’s political climate. Yet he, and many others, carry out the Rebbe’s work.

We, at Chabad, have no rear view mirror. We look ahead to continue the holy work.

Let me conclude with a factual story. Rivka’s father, Rabbi Rosenberg, has pledged his life to continue the work that his daughter started. He said, “I will work in India until little Moshe can take over”. The Torch passes from Rabbi to Rabbi until the world will reach the level of harmony with the righteous Moshiach.

Thank you for coming.

Rabbi Eli Hecht is vice–president of the Rabbinical Alliance of America and past–president of the Rabbinical Council of California. He is the director of Chabad of South Bay in Lomita, CA which houses a synagogue, day school, nursery school and chaplaincy programs.