Mumbai: Two Year Old Moshe Holtzberg Cries: Eyfo Ema? Where's Mommy

Steve Schwager, the professional head of the Joint Distribution Committee, American Jewry's overseas relief organization, just sent out a description of the memorial service for those killed at the Chabad House. I reprint one paragraph which says it all.

This morning, an homage ceremony organized by the Israeli Consulate in Mumbai honored the memory of the slain before the bodies were flown back to Israel. Rebbetzin Holtzberg’s parents attended the service, which JDC’s Country Director in India, Antony Korenstein, described as “heartrending”. All eyes were on Moshe, Gavi and Rivki’s two-year-old son, who was heroically rescued from the Chabad House by his nanny during the siege. He kept repeating the chilling question, “Ima, Ima, eifo Ima?” (“Mommy, mommy…where’s mommy?”)

Mumbai: A Voice from Moderate Islam

A United Arab Emirates columnist, Sultan Al-Qassemi, has written an eloquent plea for voices of moderate Muslims to be raised in condemnation of the acts of war perpetrated by the terrorists in Mumbai. It is translated courtesy of MEMRI.

He calls for an end to the citing of excuses, e.g. other conflicts, for these actions. In short, there are no excuses.

I hope his voice is heard and replicated. It will also be a response to those who so easily condemn all of Islam for these actions.

Mumbai and the Media: Avoiding the T-Word

Honest Reporting has a pretty comprehensive analysis of how some media outlets bent over backwards to avoid using the term terrorist to describe the killers [aka terrorists] in Mumbai.

Mumbai: The Terrible Tragedy

I have expressed particular sorrow about the death of the Chabad rabbi, Rabbi Gavriel and Riki Holzberg. Lest any one think otherwise, I am also deeply deeply saddened -- and enraged -- by the death of so many other victims.

This entire event has demonstrated that these kind of terrorists have found a new form of terrorism with terrible terrible implications.

These are people whose minds have been corrupted and who have lost any sense of morality. I say that even as we know so little about them.

We don't know their so-called "motives." In fact, in many respects their "motives" are irrelevant. It does not matter what they are. Their actions are despicable and so are they.... [[I use the present tense because I am convinced that many of them are still alive. This criminal act was not committed by just 10 people.]

Barukh Dayan Emet - Blessed is the Truthful Judge: In Memorium to R' Gavriel and Riki Holtzberg

Link to JTA coverage added 2:55 p.m.

Rabbi Gavriel Holtzberg and his wife, Rivka, were murdered along with three other hostages in the terror attack on the Chabad house in Mumbai.

May their memory and the work they did be a blessing to those remain behind.

They were killed by terrorists who had to seek out the Chabad House.

CNN: "Militants"????

Some of the comentators on CNN persist in talking about militants. What does one have to do to be considered a terrorism? Kill more than 140 people? Take control of more than 3 places?

Tragedy in Mumbai: Why was the Jewish Center [Chabad] Attacked?

I am watching CNN discuss the attacks. The various anchors, reporters on the scene, and commentators keep asking, "But why did they attack the Jewish center?"

They keep asking yet it seems so self-evident to me....