Powerful Tribute at Yeshiva University and Rachel Goldberg-Polin mother of Hersh Goldberg-Polin Delivers at Commencement AddressAt Yeshiva University
Rachel Goldberg-Polin—mother of slain hostage Hersh Goldberg-Polin—delivered a tearful and inspiring speech after receiving an honorary doctorate.
Hersh, 23, was kidnapped by Ham*s from the Nova Music Festival on Oct. 7, 2023. He lost his arm during the attack while trying to save others and was held hostage in Gaza for months before being executed. His body was recovered from a tunnel in Rafah in August 2024.
Here’s what Rachel told the graduates:
“Graduates! You wise, passionate, brave and intentional young people!
First, THANK YOU.
Thank you for being with us, and all the hostage families from day one. You never once stopped and said ‘hey, they don’t look just like us. They don’t share our exact sheeta (approach to Jewish law), our exact hashkafa (Jewish worldview) and their shul does things differently than ours.’
No! You looked for what connects us. You said, ‘Your agony is my agony. Your pain is my pain. Your son is my mother’s son. And so, your son is my brother.’
Yeshiva University students and graduates—you administered spiritual CPR on us and all of the hostage families. You showed up and you keep showing up.
And you did and you keep DOING.
As you graduates dive into the world outside of the exalted walls of Yeshiva University’s framework, remember to find what binds you with each other, find what binds you with your fellow Jews, find what binds you with your fellow human beings.”
🕯️May Hersh’s memory forever be a blessing.
Why is the spelling of Hamas altered?
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