28-11-2008
Israel: Jews unite and pray for hostage Rabbi
Mumbai, the nerve centre of India is in a state of shock as terrorists sympathetic to Al-Qaeda storm numerous buildings throughout the city leaving a trail of death and destruction. One of the buildings stormed and captured by the gunmen houses Mumbai’s ‘Chabad house’, a unique type of synagogue. The Rabbi of the synagogue, Gabriel Noah Holtzberg, is reported to have been captured and is being held hostage by the Gunmen along with his wife and family as well as other visitors to the centre. One of his children aged 2 has been released.
Chabad houses are synagogues specifically created to attract Jews, often young Jews, back to Judaism and the practice of Jewish traditions. The concept of the ‘Chabad house’ was thought of by the late Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneerson, the Lubavitch Rabbi or ‘Rebbe’ in Yiddish. Rabbi Schneerson, who passed away in 1994, was the last leader of the Lubavitch sect of Judaism and was regarded by many of his followers, who number around 100,000, as a candidate for the role of Jewish Messiah.
Lubavitch is a Jewish mystical movement that originates in modern day Belarus however moved its headquarters to New York during the 1940’s after suffering persecution by the Communists in Russia and the Nazi regime during the Holocaust. The Lubavitch sect was formed around two hundred years ago by Schneur Zalman of Lyady, White Russia. It is a branch of the Hasidic movement that stresses piety and the concepts of the Kabbalah. Hasidic Jews are recognisable by their beards, black hats and long black coats. Ironically, in respect to this attack, ultra-orthodox Jews are usually not Zionists, their attitudes ranging outright hostility to the movement to indifference.
Chabad is unique as it was the first Ultra-Orthodox or Chareidi movement to propose attracting secular Jews back to Judaism in the 1950’s. The Chabad house is a unique mix of synagogue and club where people meet to pray, socialise, eat and learn Jewish holy texts. They tend to be very non-judgemental places and are open to all who are interested in learning about the Jewish faith and Judaisms most holy book, the Torah,or Five Boooks of Moses. The Chabad house in Mumbai was one such place and Rabbi Holtzberg was there to run the centre.
The orthodox Jewish world can often be fragmented by differences and multiple rifts exist, however a short stroll through various orthodox neighbourhoods in Israel confirm that the orthodox world is united in their concern for this rabbi. ‘We will be saying tehilim (Psalms) for this Rabbi’ noted Rabbi Nissen Shein of Jerusalem’s Meah Shearim neighbourhood. Rabbi Shein is a member of the anti-Zionist Neturei Karta movement known for marching alongside Palestinians in protest against Israel. ‘We truly hope the best will come for him and his family' he added. Likewise Motl Karchik of the Gerrer Hasidic group originating in Poland echoed the same message ‘We said a special tehillim and will learn a chapter of the Talmud (A Jewish sacred set of texts) on behalf of him and his family.’ Rebetzin Pnina Rosenman who’s family is associated with the ’Lithuanian’ branch of ultra-orthodoxy, a movement historically opposed to Hasidism and particularly Chabad is also saying a special prayer today as is Natan Shochet of the Zionist National Religious movement.
Finally Ariela Wurzman a longtime activist with the group 'Peace Now' will be offering her prayers ‘ I am an Atheist but I will pray for the rabbi’ she added ‘And all provocations against anyones religion should stop: we need understanding from all sides.’
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