In Memory of Hersh Goldberg-Polin

A message from Rabbi Kaiman upon the passing of Hersh Goldberg-Polin:

Dear Shearith Israel Family,

This morning in prayer I struggled to say the words, Baruch Atah Adonai Eloheinu Melech Ha'olam, Matir Asurim. Blessed are You, Adonai Our God, who frees the imprisoned. I wasn't alone. 

I believe that God sees every life as infinitely valuable and unique. When a life is extinguished from this world, God's light is diminished. We do not have God's infinite capacity, and some stories impact us more than others.

Six hostages were just murdered in Gaza. Carmel Got, Eden Yerushalmi, Almog Sarusi, Alex Lobanov, Ori Danino, and Hersh Goldberg-Polin. All of them have infinite value and worth, just like every human on Earth. But our relationship with Hersh and his family was closer.

Hersh Goldberg-Polin was a member of our extended family. He celebrated Passover with his family for many years at Ramah Darom. These are some of the reasons why we said his name every week when we prayed for the safe return of all the hostages in Gaza. This is why there is a seat waiting for him at the Shabbat table in our Sanctuary.  

I met Hersh's mom, Rachel Goldberg-Polin, at the Hartman Institute this past summer. Everyone wanted to know how to help, and she told us to take one minute every day to let our representatives know that we wanted them to do everything in their power to bring the hostages home. Every day, millions of Americans did. Rachel told us she lived in a different world, a world in which every political leader would reach out and offer their support, their prayers. Hersh's parents chose to speak on the world stage in the hope that Hersh would hear and know that we were all working to bring him home. They chose to speak with the knowledge that Yahya Sinwar would hear and know that Hersh's life mattered to the world. 

Everyone listened, everyone did what they could. We prayed with all our hearts. We cried. But Hersh was murdered.  

Hersh's funeral service took place on Monday, September 2nd in the Beit HaHespedim in Jerusalem. It may be viewed HERE.

On Tuesday evening, September 3rd, as a part of our evening minyan, we gathered at his seat at the Shabbat table in the sanctuary, recited the El Malei Rachamim prayer for Hersh, and blasted the shofar as we began the new month of Elul. The service was livestreamed and can be viewed at THIS LINK. May this month be the month that every hostage comes home.

On Shabbat this week, we will say the names of Omer Neutra and Elkanah Bohbot, and the absence of Hersh from that list will be painful.

Until they are all home, we will not stop doing what we can. We will continue to take a minute a day to write our representatives. We will continue praying with all our hearts.

Rabbi David shared with me that his verse for moments like this is taken from Psalm 91.  "When you call, I will answer. I will be with you in the pain, I will rescue you, and I will honor you." We are not alone.

May the soul of Hersh Goldberg-Polin, son of Rachel Goldberg and Jonathan Polin, be bound up in the bond of life. His memory is a blessing.