Moshe Holtzberg: The Israeli boy who survived 2008 Mumbai attack

Moshe, the baby with the golden curls—one of the three survivors from the Chabad House carnage who became the unforgettable face of hope even when confronted with the 26/11 terror attack—is returning to Mumbai today, the first time in 10 years since his parents were gunned down by terrorists.

More than a 100 Israeli and Indian security personnel will be deployed alongside city police for the visit.

Let's find out who is Moshe Holtzberg and more about this 11-year-old kid.

In pic: PM Narendra Modi hugs 11-year-old Moshe Holtzberg, one of the survivors of the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks, in Jerusalem, Israel on July 5, 2017.

Sandra Samuel, Moshe's Indian nanny, braved shelling and gunfire to locate him on a higher floor.

She found the two-year-old crying next to the bodies of his parents; she picked him up and dashed out along with the Nariman House cook Zakir Qazi.

In pic: Two-year-old Moshe Holtzberg (R) plays with his nanny Sandra Samuel as they arrive at the Mumbai airport on their way to Israel on December 1, 2008 in Mumbai.

Both Moshe and his nanny Sandra Samuel, a Goan widow with two sons, travelled to northern Israel with Rivka's parents Shimon and Yehudit Rosenberg to live with them in Afula, 95 kms from Jerusalem.

Samuel worked as a full-time nanny for Moshe till he turned six. Then she moved to Jerusalem to work at a rehab home for children with special needs. She takes a bus to Afula to meet her son "Sonu" on Sundays.

Samuel was honoured by Israel with the title of "Righteous Gentile", the highest award given to non-jews. The government also granted her honorary citizenship.

In pic: Baby Moshe arrives in Mumbai, will be visiting Chabad House with Israel PM, Moshe accompanying his grandparents.

Image: twitter/airnewsalerts

The boy attends a Yeshiva (religious school) and is being raised as an orthodox Jew. He's in the sixth grade.

The family hopes that he will follow in his parents' footsteps and become a rabbi or religious teacher.

Fed bhindi and rajma as a baby in India, the boy still loves Indian snacks, especially Idlis and Dosas, and chilli in his food.

Image: twitter/airnewsalerts

Nariman House on Hormusji Street in Colaba housed a community centre for ultra-orthodox Jewish group called Chabad Lubavitch; it received visitors from around the world.

The building was among sites targeted by Lashkar-e-Taiba terrorists in South Mumbai.

In pic: Mumbai Chabad Center reopens on August 26, 2014.

On night of November 26, 2008, gunmen stormed Nariman House, held eight Israelis hostage.

Among eight who died in the nearly 48-hour siege were Moshe's parents - rabbi Gavriel Holtzberg and a pregnant Rivka - who managed the Jewish centre.

In pic: Moshe Holtzberg (Baby Moshe) arrives at Taj Mahal hotel in Mumbai. (Image: Twitter/ANI)

His grandparents had expressed a desire to bring him to Mumbai for his Bar Mitzvah or Jewish rite of passage when he is 13.

"May be one day he will be the chief rabbi of Mumbai," his grandparents were quoted saying when Prime Minister Modi met the family in July 2017.

In pic: Two-year-old Moshe Holtzberg (2L) is held by his nanny Sandra Samuel (2R) as she and his grandparents Yehudit (R) and Shimon Rosenberg arrive at the Mumbai airport on their way to Israel December 1, 2008 in Mumbai.

For the first time since he left the country of his birth, the boy, now 11, will visit Mumbai today in the company of Netanyahu.

Moshe is reportedly keen to see Chabad House and wants to visit Gateway of India as well.

Image: twitter.com/ANI