In Memory of Hersh.
In Honor of Rachel and Jon.
And in memory of all the hostages taken on October 7 who did not come home.
There should have been more time.
More music. More journeys. More ordinary mornings. More chances for Rachel and Jon to hear their son’s voice, hold him close, and watch the life they cherished unfold.
Talking About Israel is dedicated to the memory of Hersh Goldberg-Polin, whose future was stolen, and in honor of his parents, Rachel Goldberg-Polin and Jon Polin, who brought their love for their son before the world and asked us to care.
Through their words, so many of us came to feel a connection to a young man we had never met. We hoped for him. We prayed for him. We imagined the moment he would come home.
We cannot know the full weight of Rachel and Jon’s grief. We can remember Hersh. We can carry his name with tenderness. We can honor the dignity with which his parents insisted that every captive was someone’s child, someone’s beloved, someone whose absence left a world unfinished.
Their example calls us to bring greater care to how we talk about Israel: to remember the people whose lives are at stake, to speak truthfully about terror and suffering, and to protect our capacity for compassion even when we are afraid or grieving.
“Compassion is a muscle that must be exercised.”
May this website offer a small place for that care, that memory, and that responsibility.
Hersh, may your memory be a blessing.
Rachel and Jon, may you be surrounded by love that asks nothing of you, makes room for your grief, and remembers your son.
I was inspired by Hersh’s life and by Jon and Rachel’s tireless advocacy.
Seth Eisenberg, Editor