The Story Behind Moshe's Only Interview to Any Indian News Channel

Mumbai: Nine years ago, terrorists gunned down Moshe Holtzberg’s parents at Mumbai’s Chabad House during the 26/11 terror attacks.

At the age of 11, Moshe finally returned to his ‘father’s house’ for the first time.

Accompanied by his maternal and paternal grandparents, uncle and nanny Sandra Samuels, he landed in Mumbai for the inauguration of a memorial for the 26/11 victims at Chabad House. It was inaugurated in Mumbai by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on January 18.

In a first, Moshe appeared in front of the CNN News18 camera for an exclusive interview. Not yet recovered from the ghastly terror attack in which he lost his parents at the age of one and a half years, he is accompanied by a psychologist at every place he visits. The flashes of cameras, the flash bulbs, upset him. As he sat in front of our camera, he is soothed by his grandmother. He breathed deeply.

Considering a child’s psychological state and the hounding of the media, only one condition laid down down before the interview that Moshe will not speak. “Please don’t ask him anything. Otherwise the interview will get over there itself," the worried grandparents said.

His body language reflected reluctance and discomfort. He sat like an obedient child between his maternal grandparents – Rabbi Shimon Rosenberg and Yehudith Rosenberg. His grandmother kept patting on his thighs as he breathes deeply.

“Moshe very much loves India. He loves Mumbai," Shimon said. “People of Mumbai too love him a lot. So they want photos with him. He is just a bit upset that wherever he goes, booms are put in front of him, and cameras are switched on. I tell him, this is because people love you. Moshe is a miracle child. God made a miracle for him. And I say special prayers for him," he added.

Yehudith Rosenberg said that they are all keen to return to Mumbai two years later, when Moshe turns 13. In Jewish tradition, a ceremony marks a boy’s entry into the 13th year. “That is a big occasion. It means you graduate to the bigger world. It has huge spiritual significance," she said.