Ashreinu That We Are Jews!

Tonight I had the zechus to attend the beautiful Hachnosos Sefer Torah that was held in front of 770 Eastern Parkway, in memory and in honor of Rabbi Gavriel and Rivka Holtzberg H"YD. I say zechus because when I left Crown Heights to go back home I felt as if I had witnessed true simcha and achdus, the greatest sight in the world, and to me that is a zechus. It was a zechus to have the opportunity to share in that moment of achdus as well as to be mesameach in a brand new Sefer Torah that will join the new Chabad house in Mumbai, solidifying a determination to never give up, to continue persevering b'derech HaTorah. To see thousands of Shluchim, along with children, teenagers, families and Jews of many stripes, dancing together with such a great energy, that is something that one does not easily forget. Ashreinu that we are Jews!

Rivky Holtzberg's 29th Birthday

Time may heal all wounds but certain incidents need many years before their shock begins to disappear. Since the tragic events that took place last December at the Chabad House of Mumbai the incredible sadness of it all continues to linger with an awesome strength. Yesterday, Tu B'Av, was the 29th birthday of Rivky Holtzberg, Chabad shlucha to Mumbai, and as a zechus for her neshama the Holtzberg and Rosenberg families have asked Collive to please publicize that in her honor we should recite Rivky's chapter of Tehillim (as corresponding to her age +1), which is Perek 30/Lamed. This can be recited for Rivky throughout this coming year and it serves as a measure of hakaras hatov for the work that she was moser nefesh for. In the merit of all the kedoshim we should see good tidings very soon.

Watch a video of Rivky Holtzberg a'h as she speaks about her work in Mumbai:

(Video HT: Gruntig)