While the Holtzbergs themselves never visited Kuresh clinic, they sent their friends. "Jewish people would sometimes come here to have their eyes checked. One of their Jewish friends came with conjunctivitis could not pay me on that day because they don't give money on Fridays because on that day they don't even take a cab and walk because they don't exchange money (from sunset Friday to sundown Saturday Jews observe Sabbath when they do not indulge in any business activities or transactions, exchange money, watch television and many other chores)!"

The Holtzbergs, who were raised in Israel and in Brooklyn, New York but were citizens of both Israel and the US, moved into Nariman House three years ago says Dr Zorabi, although on the Chabad site it mentions their arrival in Mumbai five -and-a-half years ago.

Before Nariman House came up, about five or six years ago, there was a bungalow on this spot called Nariman bungalow. Many builders bid to construct a five-storey structure in place of the bungalow, but Verma Builders, based in Nariman Point, Mumbai's business district, got the contract. When the new building came up, the builders hoped to sell it floor by floor, but according to Dr Zorabi and other locals, that did not happen. Finally, the Chabad movement purchased the entire building for a rumoured Rs 40 million.

"While the building was empty I used to park my car in its compound. But one day I got a call from Mr Verma. He said, 'You need to get your car out the compound because I have sold it.' Later, Gavi and his wife introduced themselves as the new owners.

Image: Rajwadkar Street, where Rex Bakery and Nariman House are located. The crumbling wall belongs to Nariman House. Photograph: Vaihayasi Pande Daniel

Also see: Baby Moshe leaves for Israel

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