Over a year after the 26/11 attacks, Jew residents have regrouped to start a Chabad House on a temporary basis in the metropolis after the Nariman House was destroyed in the Mumbai terror strikes.
“A temporary Chabad House is currently operational in the city. A new Rabbi and his wife will soon arrive for the same,” Rabbi Avraham Berkowitz, Director of the Chabad Mumbai Relief Fund said.
“The Jewish priest, who is expected to arrive in a few months, will continue offering the services to the people of our community.”
Nariman House, also known as Chabad House, is a testimony to the bloodshed by two terrorists - Babar Imran and Nasir, who laid a two-day terror siege and slaughtered four Jews including baby Moshe’s parents.
Nariman House, a Jewish outreach center run by Chabad-Lubavitch Movement, offered drug prevention services and stayed to the people of their faith.
“There are many students and volunteers here who have been actively helping in maintaining and rebuilding the Chabad House since the last few months. We have rented a place in the city where the operations are going on,” Berkowitz said.
“We will continue with our services in Mumbai. We have not left after the attack. Our goal is to help rebuild what is destroyed. We need to give people strong security. We will rebuild it in a way that everyone feels secure,” Berkowitz said.
He said they enjoy the “good co-operation” of Mumbai police, especially its Commissioner D. Sivanandan.
“We are pleased to receive a donation of USD 1,00,000 from Prince Michael of Kent and other donors from London to rebuild at least two floors including the kitchen,” he said.
“Rebuilding the house would take nearly USD 1.5 million and by the next anniversary of the attack we will see some progress,” he said, without revealing the funds collected till date.
On financial aid received from other countries, Berkowitz said, “We have lot of hope from the people of Israel, the US, Canada and Australia.”
