Jan. 14 will mark 100 days since the inhuman Oct. 7 Hamas massacre of more than 1,200 people in Israel and kidnapping of hundreds more, 136 of whom still are held hostage in Gaza. They are citizens of 20 nations — Jews, Christians, Muslims, Buddhists and Hindus.
One of the hostages is 23-year-old Hersh Goldberg-Polin whose parents, Rachel Goldberg and Jon Polin, have had their lives turned upside down and are leaving no stone unturned to bring him and all the hostages home.
Like Goldberg-Polin, a dual American-Israeli citizen who loves travel and who had a two-year trip to Asia planned to begin last month, his mother has been traveling the world, not for fun but by necessity. She’s met presidents and prime ministers, senators, ambassadors and even the pope.
She fervently believes her son’s deliverance is in God’s hands, and she must “run to the ends of the earth to try to save him,” she said. “I don’t know what stone we will turn over that’s going to be the lynchpin” to free her son.
“I’m a religious person,” she added. “Prayer has given me tremendous strength and solace. I believe (her son’s redemption) will come from above, from God. But I don’t know what the vessel will be, so I have to go everywhere. I don’t know what God’s plan is. Is it the pope or the nice young woman who came to my door with cookies?”
Hamas fighters kidnapped Goldberg-Polin from the Nova music festival, where 367 people were slaughtered, women brutally raped, and from which dozens were abducted. Goldberg-Polin was one of them, after having his left arm blown off by Hamas, and has not been heard from since. (You can listen to his mother’s story by clicking here.)
For Goldberg and Polin, that was “another universe ago.” They are distraught from fear and trauma. They struggle for 18 to 20 hours a day, considering themselves and their actions a failure, so far. In many ways, Goldberg has lost faith in humanity.
Pope Francis said what she’s experiences is terrorism, and terrorism is the absence of humanity.
She described how, in a private audience with Pope Francis, he told her something that’s been a comfort since: Francis said what she’s experienced is terrorism, and terrorism is the absence of humanity.
Opposite Hamas’ inhumanity, and despite the horrors through which she and her husband have been forced to live more than three months, Goldberg displays a strong sense of moral clarity and abundant humanity. She pointed to the ceasefire — during which 105 hostages were released and vast humanitarian aid was supplied to the Gazans — as an important model to get all the rest of the hostages released.
Unlike many families who watched in desperation, wondering whether their loved ones were coming out during the hostage release, she had no expectations her son was going to get out then, because it was only for women and children. This knowledge allowed her to celebrate the release of every hostage, especially since the families of the hostages have become like an extended family themselves.
Goldberg also would like to see more humanitarian aid going into Gaza, noting hundreds of thousands of Gazans also are suffering, and 85% of them have been displaced. “Let’s let humanitarian aid get in and let’s let human beings get out,” she urged.
Goldberg advocates for creative action, not emotional support. As a U.S. citizen, she’s grateful for President Biden and others who she says do care. Six living American hostages remain, following the third-biggest massacre of Americans since 9/11.
“Americans don’t like it when Americans are taken hostage against their will,” she said, calling on fellow Americans to contact the White House every day with a simple message: “There are 136 people, including six American hostages, held by Hamas. I am not OK with it.” The White House comment line is (202) 456-1111, and the email address is [email protected].
Goldberg has seen no sign the Red Cross is willing to be of material help, she said, adding she tries to give them the benefit of the doubt. She reported Red Cross officials have told her: “We’re here on the border. We want to go in. Hamas won’t let us in,” but that is not sufficient. More can and must be done, she said, wondering why the Red Cross cannot or will not do more and draw “red lines” for Hamas.
Generally, the world is turning a blind eye and does not understand who the hostages are, she said, adding she believes people would care more for people elsewhere in the world than they care for Jewish/Israeli hostages.
But she does not put the blame on others. “I have failed. We have failed. World governments have failed,” she said. “How is it possible that we can’t get these people back?”
The hostages came from 33 countries, aged 9 months to 87 years old. Of 136 still in Hamas captivity, 23 are confirmed dead. Coming alongside their families, the Genesis 123 Foundation has initiated a global petition campaign to free all the hostages.
Goldberg noted Christians especially have been encouraging. More than 100,000 people sent pictures of families who set places at their Christmas tables with her son’s name on them.
On Jan. 14, Goldberg is asking people to take a piece of masking tape or a sticker with the number 100 and put it on their clothes above their hearts. Her goal is to get 1 million people to participate.
Goldberg is asking people to participate in an urgent and simple humanitarian message on Sunday, Jan. 14. Just as she has marked each day from the beginning of this crisis, she’s asking people to take a piece of masking tape or a sticker with the number 100 and put it on their clothes above their hearts. Her goal is to get 1 million people to participate, she said, noting the endeavor will be especially powerful if Christians and other non-Jews participate.
Goldberg is one relative of just one of the 136 hostages. In addition to the hostages who need prayer, thousands of their loved ones are living a slow-motion trauma, sometimes feeling hopeless. Even when their loved ones are released, their lives never will be the same again.
I asked Goldberg how we can pray for her and for all the families. “I really take comfort from Psalms; it’s a real self-help book. I say psalms throughout the day,” she said, noting the Psalms that give her encouragement — 135, 121 and 13, which is so desperate, asking God, “How long are you going to make me go through this?” Psalm 23 also is a comfort, she added, explaining even in this dark time, her cup is overflowing.
Click here to sign the petition to release all the hostages.
Jonathan Feldstein
Jonathan Feldstein is president of the Genesis 123 Foundation. He was born and educated in the U.S. and immigrated to Israel in 2004. He is married and the father of six. He is a leader working with and among Christian supporters of Israel, and shares experiences of living as an Orthodox Jew in Israel through his work, writing, and as host of the Inspiration from Zion podcast. He can be reached at [email protected].
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