LEGISLATIVE RESOLUTION condemning the horrific terrorist attacks in
Mumbai, India, that occurred November 26-29, 2008, and honoring Prabhu
Dayal, Consul General of India in New York, and extending a warm welcome
to him upon the occasion of his visit to the New York State Capitol

WHEREAS, Freedom, and the future security and peace of our State, Nation
and the entire world is dependant upon the immediate halting of the
cruel acts of terrorism currently being perpetrated; and
WHEREAS, The residents of the State of New York have first-hand know-
ledge of the effects of terrorism; therefore, it is the sense of this
Assembled Body to stand up to the heinous and unprovoked terrorist
attacks in Mumbai, India, and to recognize the people of India who have
emerged as heroes in the wake of this tragedy; their consummate strength
proves that the power of hope will always endure and inspire even in the
darkest of circumstance; and
WHEREAS, The Mumbai attacks were a series of 10 coordinated terrorist
attacks across Mumbai, India's financial capital and its largest city
that began on November 26, 2008; and
WHEREAS, Eight of the attacks occurred in South Mumbai, at Chhatrapati
Shivaji Terminus, the Oberoi Trident, the Taj Mahal Palace and Tower,
Leopold Cafe, Cama Hospital, the Orthodox Jewish-owned Nariman House,
the Metro Cinema, and in a lane behind the Times of India building
behind St. Xavier's College; there was also an explosion at the Maza-
gaon docks in Mumbai's port area, and a taxi blast at Vile Parle; and
WHEREAS, By the early morning of November 28th, all sites except for
the Taj Mahal Palace had been secured by Mumbai Police and security
forces; an action by India's National Security Guards on November 29th
resulted in the conclusion of the Taj Mahal Palace encounter, ending all
fighting in the attacks; and
WHEREAS, Approximately 200 people were killed and at least 308 were
injured in the heinous attacks; this Assembled Body mourns the senseless
and tragic deaths of these innocent people from varied nationalities and
ethnic groups, including local residents as well as Western tourists;
and
WHEREAS, In the attack on the local Chabad House, known as the Nariman
House, nine innocent Jewish lives were taken, including emissaries Rabbi
Gavriel-Noach (Gabi) and his wife, Rivkah (Rivki) Holtzberg, who oper-
ated the Nariman House, whose headquarters is located in Crown Heights,
Brooklyn, New York; and
WHEREAS, Israeli-born American Rabbi Gavriel Holtzberg, who moved to
Brooklyn in his teens, and his wife, Rivkah Holtzberg, were newly
married in 2003 when they first opened the Chabad House in Mumbai,
India; and
WHEREAS, The main goal of Chabad-Lubavitch emissaries is to help
transform the world into a place of goodness and holiness; Rabbi Gavriel
and Rivkah Holtzberg dedicated their lives to making the world a better
place to live for all; and
WHEREAS, Incredibly, surviving this cruel act of terrorism is the
Holtzberg's two year-old son, Moshe, who managed to escape with the help
of his Indian nanny, Sandra Samuel; without regard for her own well-be-
ing, she grabbed hold of the baby and ran out of the Nariman House to
safety; and
WHEREAS, Above all else, the people of the State of New York, as
represented by this Assembled Body, will be steadfast in their solidari-
ty with the victims of the 2008 Mumbai terrorist attacks; and
WHEREAS, This Assembled Body is justly honored and greatly privileged
to join with the people of the State of New York and citizens of this

world to extend a warm welcome to Prabhu Dayal, Consul General of India
in New York, upon the occasion of his visit to the New York State Capi-
tol to offer its unequivocal support to all those affected by the 2008
Mumbai, India terrorist attacks; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That this Legislative Body pause in its deliberations to
condemn the horrific terrorist attacks in Mumbai, India, that occurred
November 26-29, 2008.