The Dejavu of the Holtzberg Family

By Mordy Kaler (uncle of Mrs. Kogan)

Dejavu…

I cannot believe this nightmare is happening again. A family member’s face is all over the news. 16 years ago it was my brother-in-law Gabi Holtzberg, this time my nephew Tzvi Kogan. A husband, a Shliach whose sole mission in life was to bring light into this world. His life was stolen from him by bloodthirsty terrorists for no reason other than he was a Jew. An unabashedly proud Jew.

This is happening all over again….

Messages flooding in from everywhere. Prayers, condolences, everyone trying to provide some sort of comfort during this haze of a morning. Family scrambling to make emergency travel plans. Government officials at the highest echelons working to ensure everyone can get to Israel for a funeral, who knows when it will be.

This has to be a dream, how can the same exact story be repeating itself?

Of course its not a dream. We haven’t slept since we saw his name being sent around to every news site and Whatsapp group. Its a living nightmare… Our family is shattered all over again.

This tragic story leaves more questions than will ever have answers. These past 16 years have taught me that asking, “why?” screaming “WHY !?!?!” will never lead to an answer that will make any of it make sense. Parents should never bury their children. Brothers and sisters, aunts and uncles, cousins, NO ONE should ever have to go through this.

I know how this story goes.

There will be a levaya. Thousands of our brothers and sisters will be there to grieve with us. In Chabad, we do not eulogize but Dignitaries, Politicians, Rebeim will all be there to share words of chizuk.

There will be Shivah and Thousands of our brothers and sisters will come. People from all walks of life. Frum, not yet frum. Non jews and foreigners will all be there to try to provide comfort. Most will not say a word, but just knowing their mere presence is a source of strength during unimaginable grief will be a solace to those they visit.

The sad truth is that Gabi was not the first, and Tzvi will not be the last. Our history is riddled with Kedoshim. MILLIONS of Kedoshim whose only “sin” was being a Jew. How many widows and orphans did the Jewish people have to console this year alone.

You murderers in Iran who orchestrated this tragedy are celebrating. Just like you were 16 years ago. Just like you were 414 days ago. You will never learn. You will spill our blood but you will never kill us. The Jewish people are indestructible. To those who still think this is about “Land and Peace”, I hope you see this as a wake up call. It is and always has been a war between the good and evil.

Chabad Shluchim are our Generals on the front lines. In bases in countries all over the world. Armed with the ultimate weapon of mass Construction. With a mission from the Rebbe to find every hidden spark of G-dliness in this world, no matter how covered in darkness it may be. They hunt us with hate in their hearts, shluchim scour the globe for us with pure love in theirs. Every mitzvah performed by every Jew around the world is our ammunition in this fight.

I know how this story goes.

This week, Shluchim from all over the world will gather at headquarters. Some may be battered and bruised. One of their own has fallen. But all know the mission is not yet accomplished. Those heinous cowards think they beat us. They utterly and wholly have failed. The Rebbe ingrained in every one of us that the only way to dispel this darkness is through adding light. TORCHES OF LIGHT will flow to every corner of the world. How many millions of mitzvos were done in Gabi’s merit? Millions will do the same for Tzvi’s. Thousands of Tzvi’s will line up to fill his place knowing it is on all of us now to continue what he started.

We ALL know how this story goes.

They will try to break us but will always fail. We will get through this strengthened and united in this mission. Tzvi and Gabi are never lost and never forgotten. We will persevere. We will dance again. We will WIN this war.

May we merit to see Gabi and Tzvi, and ALL of the other kedoshim at the ultimate victory celebration in Yerushalayim, the eternal capital of the Jewish people with Moshiach immediately.

Am Yisrael Chai!!