Mumbai: Chabad House ownership dispute resolved

Family members of the slain Rabbi Gavriel and the Chabad Lubavitch Movement have decided to end their dispute over the ownership rights of the Chabad House, one of the sites in south Mumbai that became target during the 26/11 terror attacks.

Currently, the Chabad House, also known as the Nariman House, is in the possession of a receiver of the Bombay high court, following a dispute between two factions of the Jewish community.

The dispute is between Gavriel's parents, Nachman and Freida Holtzberg, and Rabbi Kantor of the Chabad Lubavitch Movement, over the rebuilding rights of the property. The case is currently going on before the charity commission.

"Both, the family members as well as the members of the Chabad Lubavitch Movement have decided to end their dispute. It does not look good to bring out our differences in the open, as we want to rebuild the Chabad House and continue the legacy of Rabbi Gabi and Rivki," said a close friend of Rabbi Gavriel, who is associated with the court matter.

"Within a month, both the parties will come up with a new affidavit with the new terms and conditions. The ownership rights will remain with both the parties and the repair work at the Nariman House will begin soon," he said.

Following the dispute for the control of the Jewish Centre in Colaba, the five-storey building, where Rabbi Gavriel Holtzberg and his pregnant wife Rivka were killed during the three-day siege during the terror attacks, is now in possession of the receiver of the Bombay high court.

Chabad House is run by a New York-based Orthodox Jewish organisation called Chabad Lubavitch.

After the terror attacks, the Chabad Lubavitch Movement officially entrusted the responsibility of rebuilding the site and raising funds for it from around the world, to Rabbi Yosef Kantor. But, the family members of the Jewish couple said they were actively involved in rebuilding the Chabad House. The principal donor behind the renovation is Samuel Nitka, president of the GRH Energy group.

On November 26 2008, two Pakistani terrorists entered the narrow lane at the Jewish centre and killed six of its occupants, including Rabbi and his five months pregnant wife, Rivka during the three-day terror siege. Their son Moshe, who was two-year-old at that time, survived the attack after being rescued by Indian nanny, Sandra Samuel.