By Judah Goldemberg
Hersh Goldberg-Polin was born in Berkley, California, to Jon Goldberg and Rachel Polin. For the first eight years of his life, he lived in the United States, before moving with his family to Jerusalem, Israel. Hersh was passionate about music, basketball and soccer, and most importantly traveling.
On the night of October 6th, Hersh and his family celebrated the Jewish holiday of Simchat Torah in the courtyard of their local Jerusalem synagogue, Hakhel. They danced, sang, and celebrated together. That night, Hersh informed his parents he was going camping with his friends, departing late that night.
The following morning, October 7th, Hersh and his best friend Aner Shapira attended the Nova Music Festival in the Re’im desert along the Gaza border. The festival, a celebration of life and music, was tragically interrupted at 6:30 a.m., when rockets began flying overhead and sirens blared. For many living in the Gaza envelope, rockets and sirens are an unfortunate reality they face often, and therefore many partygoers were unfazed. However, soon Hamas terrorists began to infiltrate the southern Gaza border, and the Nova Festival was among one of their first targets.
As the terrorists began a killing spree, Hersh and Aner fled to a bomb shelter down the road. Terrorists outside the shelter began throwing grenades inside. The two friends threw at least six grenades back at the terrorists. Tragically, the seventh grenade killed Aner and blew off Hersh’s hand. Hersh was captured by Hamas terrorists, and taken to Gaza in the back of the truck.
Throughout Hersh’s time as a hostage, his parents Rachel and Jon were some of the biggest advocates for his release, as well as the release of the other hostages. They spoke to political leaders, organized large rallies, and amplified a strong social media presence. The American couple garnered international attention, even speaking at the Democratic National Convention in August.
I spent the entirety of this past summer in Israel, and I was given the opportunity to meet Jon and Rachel. Two people whom I would normally see as strangers instantly became heroes to me. Rachel Goldberg came to speak to my group of 180 Jewish teens from across North America. She spoke eloquently, delivering a powerful message of hope and resilience. After hearing Rachel speak, Hersh became more than just a name on a poster; he became a real person to me. I learned about his love for travel, music, and sports. I discovered he had planned a two-month trip for December 2023.
About a week after hearing Rachel Goldberg speak, my group attended a Torah dedication in honor of Hersh and the other remaining hostages. Traditionally, Torah dedications are seen as a celebratory event, yet this ceremony came with an added somberness. I walked with hundreds of others, mostly strangers, throughout the streets of Jerusalem. We sang and prayed for the release of the hostages. Eventually, we reached the same courtyard at Hakhel where Hersh spent his last night of freedom. Rachel and Jon spoke, and their words moved the crowd to tears. I, along with many others, felt a deepening sense of hope through our prayer. Sometimes when there is nothing to do, the only thing to do is pray.
I returned home from my trip in August, and immediately began to reflect on my experiences. Besides hearing from the family of Hersh, I heard from several others, including the parents and family of those killed on October 7th, families of other hostages, and even a Palestinian man. Along with hearing from these incredible speakers, I saw many of the horrors of October 7th. I visited the site of the Nova Festival, where over 300 partygoers were murdered, and several others, including Hersh, were taken hostage. I went inside the shelter were Hersh and Aner had fought for their lives. I visited a neighborhood still battling with the destruction of that day. All these things played a significant role in my trip and gave me a deeper understanding of the conflict.
On September 1st, I received the news of Hersh’s death. He and five other hostages were shot at point blank range after surviving 11 months in captivity. The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) soldiers recovered their bodies within a tunnel under a children’s bedroom in the southern Gazan town Rafah. During their captivity, they had minimal food, water, and no access to bathrooms or showers.
Hersh was a beacon of hope for many including myself, and hearing of his untimely death was heartbreaking and difficult to grasp. Still, I am struggling to process it. While in mourning, Rachel and Jon continue to advocate for the release of the remaining 101 hostages, including seven American citizens.
May Hersh’s memory be a blessing.