Mumbai terrorist attacks hit close to home at Hopkins
Chandni Choiphramani, a Hopkins freshman, has family in India. The tragedy affected many of her friends very profoundly.
"I have friends in India who had parents, uncles and aunts who were eating in the hotel and were shot," she said. "Knowing that innocent people have been killed - it's really sad."
Many members of the Chabad community have already shown their resolve by committing themselves to replace the Holtzbergs at the Chabad House in Mumbai.
Last night, the University's Chabad House held a video presentation commemorating the legacy of Rabbi Gavriel and Rivkah Holtzberg. Many Hopkins students and members of the Chabad community attended to honor the Holtzberg's sacrifice.
Chabad homes exist around the world and are usually run by young Hasidic couples. Gopin and his wife Channi described the homes' purpose.
"They provide both spiritual and material support to the communities that they serve," Gopin said. "They are homes of goodness and kindness, where someone is there with an open heart and a smile to greet and to help everyone with whatever needs they may have."
The couples that run Chabad Houses often make great sacrifices to do so, choosing to live in areas where they are isolated from the Jewish community in order to fulfill their calling.
The Holtzbergs moved to Mumbai in 2003. The couple served tens of thousands of people from the Jewish community who stayed at their home.
"Their sole objective is to commit themselves, even to far-fledged corners of the world … for one simple reason: to help other people," Gopin said.
The Chabad House that the terrorists attacked was on a side street, not in the main plaza area. Rabbi Gopin emphasized that the attack was a deliberate and targeted strike against Jews.
"The forces of good and evil met in that Chabad House," Gopin said. "It represented two different extremes of two different types of people: on one side, animalistic instincts at the lowest levels; on the other, two wonderful people who had just one sole purpose: to seek goodness, kindness and to help others."
"I have friends in India who had parents, uncles and aunts who were eating in the hotel and were shot," she said. "Knowing that innocent people have been killed - it's really sad."
Many members of the Chabad community have already shown their resolve by committing themselves to replace the Holtzbergs at the Chabad House in Mumbai.
Last night, the University's Chabad House held a video presentation commemorating the legacy of Rabbi Gavriel and Rivkah Holtzberg. Many Hopkins students and members of the Chabad community attended to honor the Holtzberg's sacrifice.
Chabad homes exist around the world and are usually run by young Hasidic couples. Gopin and his wife Channi described the homes' purpose.
"They provide both spiritual and material support to the communities that they serve," Gopin said. "They are homes of goodness and kindness, where someone is there with an open heart and a smile to greet and to help everyone with whatever needs they may have."
The couples that run Chabad Houses often make great sacrifices to do so, choosing to live in areas where they are isolated from the Jewish community in order to fulfill their calling.
The Holtzbergs moved to Mumbai in 2003. The couple served tens of thousands of people from the Jewish community who stayed at their home.
"Their sole objective is to commit themselves, even to far-fledged corners of the world … for one simple reason: to help other people," Gopin said.
The Chabad House that the terrorists attacked was on a side street, not in the main plaza area. Rabbi Gopin emphasized that the attack was a deliberate and targeted strike against Jews.
"The forces of good and evil met in that Chabad House," Gopin said. "It represented two different extremes of two different types of people: on one side, animalistic instincts at the lowest levels; on the other, two wonderful people who had just one sole purpose: to seek goodness, kindness and to help others."
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