Mumbai - we can turn the lights back on!

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Mumbai - we can turn the lights back on!

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THE BIRMINGHAM JEWISH COMMUNITY held a Memorial Service for the victims of the recent terrorist attack in Mumbai on 1st December 2008.

The attack has affected many people across Birmingham and that has included the Jewish community where many relatives and friends were injured or killed.

The Memorial evening to the memory of Rabbi Gavriel Holtzberg and his wife Rivka who were like family to the city's own Rabbonim along with the other 181 of those murdered by the terrorists, was held at Singers Hill Synagogue, the prestigious centre of the Birmingham Jewry.
 
The Jewish community in Birmingham gathered at Singers Hill Synagogue as a whole community to pray and comfort one another after the tragic terrorist attack in Mumbai.

"This was an attack against, the Jews worldwide, against the Indians, against the Americans and the western civilization which stands for freedom and equality" said the Chief Minister, Rabbi Yossi Jacobs Birmingham Hebrew Congregation.
 
The evening service included prayers from community rabbonim and a short personal speech from an Aston University student, Ariel Kosary who had met Rabbi Holtzberg and his wife whilst on his travels in India. Kosary emphasised the respect for pluralism, the Rabbi and his wife had.

Rabbi Shmuel Arkush of Lubbavitch West Midlands called on the community to unite together and to 'turn on the light' and fight the darkness of the terrorists by joining together cross-community, through enhancing security, celebrating festivals across the community and being a whole community.
 
The evening concluded with an appeal for a the Holtzberg Orphan Fund which will collect funds in the next three weeks and will help the young orphan, Moishe Holtzberg one of the survivors of the Mumbai terrorist attacks.

People interested in donating to the fund should visit www.singershill.com and look at the contact information to call + 44 121 643 0884 (please quote this article)