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It seems that the main target in the attack on Mumbai was the Chabad house, click here
Mr Danby (Melbourne Ports) (Parliamentary Hansard; 9.36a.m.)- London's Times asks today: "So why kill the rabbi?" Indeed, why kill any rabbi? All Australians were outraged at the murder of our countrymen Brett Taylor and Doug Markell and the other mainly Indian citizens murdered in Mumbai a few days ago. I cannot surpass the insights of the columnist from the London Times David Aaronovitch about the people he calls "explanists", who make excuses for those who, with murderous ideologies, single out people who are Australian or British or American, or who are Jewish. Mr. Aaronovitch says that there is no justification in killing innocent people, Christian, Hindu or Jew, or British, American or Australian.
The fact that nine people died in a synagogue, an outreach centre called the Chabad house in Mumbai is a particular tragedy for many Australian Jews. It is especially tragic for those who knew the couple who ran the centre, Rabbi Gavriel Holtzberg and his wife Rivkah, both of whom were murdered there. Terrible reports on various international news wires indicate that some of the victims were tortured before they were killed. This kind of beastality is hard to face but we must because it is being discussed in the international press. This young religious couple were a paradigm of kind-hearted and dedicated Chabad emissaries serving the tiny Jewish community in Mumbai, and helping people who were suffering from drug addiction and poverty. They offered their hospitality to Israeli backpackers and Jewish visitors, and treated them with uplifting spiritual experiences. Their Chabad house, their synagogue, served as a safe haven and an island for yiddishkeit for Jewish people travelling through Mumbai and India. They could stay at the centre and were offered free kosher meals, and could participate in services over Shabbat. Reb Gavriel and Rebbetzin Rivka represented the ultimate in human kindness and selflessness. Their presence in Mumbai and on earth will be sadly missed.
The Chabad House in Mumbai
Also killed in the Chabad House were Yocheved Orpaz, Rabbi Aryeh Leibish Teitelbaum and Rabbi Bentzion Chroman. Rabbi Teitelbaum was murdered as he was studying in the synagogue a book of Jewish learning. He was found slumped over an open Talmud. Norma Shvarzblat-Rabinovich was also killed in those terrible events.
It is important to remember the names of all of these individuals. Sherri Mandell, mother of 14 year old Koby, murdered by Palestinian terrorists, argued in the Jerusalem Post:
Don't let others tell you that your loved ones died for nothing. They died because they were innocent victims of ... Islamic hatred. They died because-this ideology-is vicious and evil and worships destruction ... It is paramount that you seek justice - but do not seek revenge. Revenge embitters you while justice elevates you. Justice is motivated by love; revenge is motivated by hatred ...Keep speaking about the evil that was perpetrated against your loved one. Don't allow the media or others to call the murderers militants or freedom fighters.
Insist that your loved one's murder be remembered.
I repeat her wisdom and raise my voice in this national Parliament and praise the memory of those innocent kedoshim who were killed in the Chabad house in Mumbai, only because they were Jews.
Rabbi Gavriel Holtzberg z"l and son Moishe
As these innocents were being buried in Israel, her president Shimon Peres lamented the plight of the Holtzberg's young two-year old son, who was orphaned from the attack.
"The whole world and of course the Jewish people need an answer to the question asked by the child: ‘where is my mother?'" said Peres.
The Israeli daily Haaretz (Dec 2) reports:
"A few times during the ceremony at the synagogue Moshe called for Sandra while his grandmother calmed him with a bottle of water and a piece of candy. When the time came for the last speaker, Rabbi Yitzchak Yeruslavsky, a Chabad leader from Israel, Moshe started crying, calling out "Ima Ima" (mummy, mummy). He refused to be consoled and was finally taken outside.
"In a voice choked with sobs, Rivka's father, Shimon Rosenberg, who is Chabad rabbi of Afula, said: ‘The Lord gave, the Lord took away, blessed be the name of the Lord,' and he pledged that the Chabad House in Mumbai would continue to operate. ‘Rivki and Gabi were not private citizens,' he said. ‘Everything they did they did for someone else.' He thanked (the nanny) Sandra Samuel (the nanny) and said, ‘We have to thank G-d for the resourcefulness she showed.'"
Return to Israel
In Melbourne last night, a memorial function was held at Bnai Brith for Rabbi Gavriel and Rivka Holtzberg. Rabbi Mendy Groner told people that all of the murdered victims, be they Indian, Australian, British, American, Christian, Jewish or Hindu, were equal in their merit and innocence. He explained that when we know people, when they are part of our family or our community, we naturally grieve more intensely.
No one has put it better than a member of the professional staff at RMIT, Isaac Balbin, who led the davening at my shul, Elwood Shule, during the recent Yamim Noraim. He said of Gabi and Rivki in a moving essay on his recollections of India and these two martyred shlichim:
"They were not small-minded, slogan-bearing chanters or flag-wavers. Like Chassidim of old, yet under 30, they were involved in doing; not chanting. They loved and were loved. They didn't estrange." To read the full article by Dr Isaac Balbin, click here
Moishe crying at his parents' funeral
Jews across the world mourn all the victims of the attacks on Mumbai. The murdered Brett Taylor and Doug Markell of Australia and Rabbi Gavriel and Rebbetzin Rivki Holtzberg and all other victims of terror will be in our hearts and minds forever.
Link to article by David Aronovitch in The Australian 3 December 2008
More than 50 ordinary Indians were killed by the terrorist at the Mumbai train station
Many readers will have missed the Australian Foreign Editor Greg Sheridan's contribition on this topic in the Sydney Sunday Telegraph. Click here
Mark Steyn's acerbic wit was much deployed in an overview of the witless commentary of the deliberate targeting of Jews and Westerners. click here
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Must fight in Australia against the siren calls of Left/agitato groups like Get-up & other unilateral civil librties groups to prevent any weakening of Ausrtralia's counter-terror policy
Posted by Dont Mention the War on 2008-12-04 10:58:49 GMT
my view is that all decent governments including Israel must but be party to a joint statement to be read at the UN telling the world how we condemn these cowardly acts of violence, that we will stand together to fight this evil......We cannot ignore this by saying nothing - we must shout from the roof tops; we cannot nor must not remain idle. Howard Joffe Capetown
Posted
by howard joffe on 2008-12-04 07:30:05 GMT
Michael Danby says the ABC wont bow the Chinese communist party, click here.
Michael Danby chairs Brisbane hearing on Australia's treatment of migrants with disabilities. Click here.
Click here to read Laurie Oakes's overview of proposals that would cost the taxpayer $500 million dollars to finance political parties, published in The Herald Sun on the 19th of December, 2009.
Michael Danby will be one of the speakers at a short commemoration for the 65th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz, to be held at the Elwood Synagogue on the 27th of January. If you would like to attend, please RVSP by emailing alex.devitt@aph.gov.au.
Michael Danby offers special parliamentary hearing to Google on cyber attacks. Click here to read.
Local MP calls for Fitness First to show community spirit. Click here
Click here to read Michael Danby's endorsement of re-listing terrorist organisations and his expression of astonishment at the submission by the federation of community legal centres (VIC) who had called for the de-listing of Hamas.
Click here to read the speech delivered by Governor-General Bryce on Sir Zelman Cowen's 90th Birthday.
Chairman of parliament's environment commitee, Jenny George, produced this ground breaking report into coastal erosion. Click here to read the report, and Michael's speech about the findings here.
Julie Bishop makes a desperate and out of context attack on Michael Danby. Click here
Michael Danby endorses Dr Gerard Henderson's description of the recent terrorism convictions and the effective pattern of trials in dealing with would-be participants in terrorism acts in Australia. Click here.
Michael Danby has called the Liberal Party's recent outburst on Border Security nonsense. Follow the link to see Minister for Immigration & Citizenship, Chris Evans, discuss the recent influx of asylum seekers on Lateline (October 14), click here, or more recently the Minister's interview on the 7.30 Report on the 21st of October. Click here
Who was William Cooper & why we should all know, click here
What's going on at the ABC? ABC TV's reporter Ben Knight is producing some context.... Click here
Michael Danby delivered a detailed speech on New Matilda and Crikey.com declaring them the ‘dark and ugly recesses of the internet' . Mr Danby called on Crikey owner Eric Beecher to explain his publications failure to moderate racist comments. Click here.
Chair of the Parliamentary Migration Committee Michael Danby spoke to ABC News Breakfast about the Committee's new report into immigration detention, click here
Michael Danby isn't just supportive of his own community, he is one of few MPs with the courage to question Beijing on its treatment of minority groups. Says a cover story of the Aust. Jewish News. Click here
Michael Danby joined the Minister for Home Affairs, Brendan O'connor to announce funding for Capital Upgrades of Jewish school security. Click here
An All party delegation to India consisting of 6 mps had their outrage towards the recent attacks on Indian students reported in the Economic Times (of India). Click here
Michael Danby promoted the Harmony Day Walk in the Hindustan Times on the 4th of July Click here and on the same day the Sunday Tribune (of Bangalore) newspaper reported on the delegations outcry at the attacks on Indian Students Click here
25 May 2009: Chair of the Joint Standing Committee on Migration Michael Danby, today tabled the 2nd of the Committee's reports into immigration detention. For Michael's tabling speech please click here. Please click here for the media release.
Local area receives Budget millions. Please click here for information on the benefits Melbourne Ports is receiving in the 2009-10 Budget.For a macro explanation of the budget, please see this interview with Finance Minister Lindsay Tanner and this interview with Deputy Prime Minister Julia Gillard.
Local small businesses were winners in this year's budget. There will be an increase and extension of the Small Business and General Business Tax Break. For more information please see these links to Media Releases from the Minister for Small Business Craig Emerson.
Media Release 1 Media Release 2
The Prime Minister Kevin Rudd blasted Iran's role in undermining the anti racism essence of last week's UN conference, which had the stated objective of opposing bigotry. Click here
Michael Danby argues that it is possible that Australia's bid to win one of the non permanent seats on the UN Security Council will fail because of Australia's principled withdrawal from the chaotic Durban 2 Conference. Click here
New Electoral Commissioner Ed Killesteyn explained that 1.2 million Australians are not enrolled to vote, to see his dramatic opening statement to the Electoral Matters Committee click here.
Chinese Ambassador ticks off Member for Melbourne Ports. Danby welcomes his felicitous response: SMH article, Canberra Times articleForeign Minister defends Danby's appearance at rally click here
Michael Danby today announced that 28 local schools in Melbourne Ports will receive $4 million for minor infrastructure and refurbishment projects under Round One of the National School Pride (NSP) program. Click here
Pauline Hanson drops her bundle appearing on Today Tonight (channel 7) and walks out on an interview over questions about the $200 000 bonus she received, for receiving 4% of the Queensland Senate vote ($2.10 per voter) at the 2007 election click here. To read how Michael Danby exposed her earlier funding rort Click here
The Joint Committee on Migration established a new paradigm for the humane but rational treatment of asylum seekers. Click here.
Liberal Opportunism in Terror Convictions
The successful conviction of Benbrika and 5 of his associates should be marked as a positive achievement in the lawful pursuit of terrorists (or would be terrorists) (click here). This is particularly so given the recent failed trials in the United States and the United Kingdom. It therefore disappointing that the Opposition sought to turn this successful development in the anti-terrorist struggle into a partisan point scoring.
I outline these arguments in a speech to parliament a few hours ago (click here).
Defamation Bigotry and Censorship
Mr Danby responded today in the House of Representatives to malicious claims made by "The Age" on the 21st of June. He reminded the public of their record of Defamation, Bigotry and Censorship under Editor Andrew Jaspan. The speech was made this morning hours before Jaspan was sacked. Click here.
Even the conservative Asian Wall Street Journal editorial page was forced to concede that Deputy Prime Minister Julia Gillard made a strong and positive impression in an address to key American policy makers in Washington. To read her speech please click here.
Read what the Asian Wall Street Journal commissioned but didn't publish.... Click here
Clive James, one of Australia's most celebrated expatriates penned the following poem in the Australian Literary Review. September 7 2007
