Hundreds gather to remember Hersh Goldberg-Polin on second anniversary of his death

Hundreds gathered in Jerusalem on Friday to remember Hersh Goldberg-Polin, an Israeli-American citizen who was taken hostage by Hamas on October 7, 2023, and later murdered in captivity in August 2024. The ceremony, organized by family and friends, marked the official Hebrew calendar date of Goldberg-Polin’s death.

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Hersh grew up in this place.

He and fellow captives Almog Sarusi, Carmel Gat, Eden Yerushalmi, Alex Lubanov, and Ori Danino were executed by their Hamas captors at close range in an underground tunnel in Gaza. This occurred as IDF troops were unknowingly approaching their location. Goldberg-Polin was one of the most globally recognized hostages due to the relentless advocacy of his parents, Jon Polin and Rachel Goldberg-Polin, who traveled worldwide for his release.

The event was held in the courtyard of the Baka community center, where Goldberg-Polin grew up. A family friend noted that the space was where Hersh played games, prayed, and danced with his family and synagogue members for the last time on October 6, 2023, before the Nova festival attack.

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I live in a place where my clock has no arms. The big and the little hands broke off, and the second hand is not there either. So it’s just a face with numbers that used to mark the time.

Hersh’s parents and sisters, along with several friends, spoke at the ceremony. Rachel Goldberg-Polin described feeling stuck in time, stating, “I live in a place where my clock has no arms. The big and the little hands broke off, and the second hand is not there either. So it’s just a face with numbers that used to mark the time.” She also reflected on their efforts, saying, “You gave us the chance to try and maybe it is the trying that saved us, even though we couldn’t save you.”

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You gave us the chance to try and maybe it is the trying that saved us, even though we couldn’t save you.