Utah group keeping tabs on siege of the Chabad headquarters in India

Utah adherents of the orthodox Jewish outreach group Chabad Lubavitch are keeping a close watch as militants continued their siege of the Chabad headquarters in India on Thursday.

I'm keeping tabs on it all day, said Rabbi Benny Zippel, of Salt Lake. I have asked everyone to increase their acts of charity and prayers. Unfortunately, there isn't much we can do on a physical level.

Top Chabad officials said they have yet to make contact with Rabbi Gavriel and Rivkah Holtzberg, who head the besieged center in Mumbai. The couple's 18-month-old son, however, had been reportedly rescued from the center.

All the (Chabad emissaries) are very, very tight, Zippel said. We all work from the same spirit, for the same mission. So this is something that affects us in a very intimate way.

The rabbi said he remains optimistic the siege will end soon.