“My sweet boy, finally, finally, finally — you are free.”
These agonizing words, spoken this week by grieving American-Israeli mother Rachel Goldberg-Polin, have reverberated around the world.
After nearly 11 months of traversing the airways to raise alarm bells on behalf of Israeli hostages and to fight for her son’s release, Ms. Goldberg-Polin’s worst fears became a reality: Her son, Hersh, who was taken hostage in Hamas’ Oct. 7 terror attack, was recently slaughtered by his captors.
It’s no surprise these stirring words about the finality of his freedom — uttered under circumstances Ms. Goldberg-Polin courageously fought to thwart — brought many to tears as the beleaguered mother spoke to tens of thousands who gathered Sept. 2 inside a Jerusalem cemetery for her son’s funeral.
Ms. Goldberg-Polin has undoubtedly been the face of the valiant effort to free the hostages. As a result of her advocacy, millions around the world had hoped, pined and fervently prayed for Hersh’s freedom as Hamas’ fiendishness fans the flames of consternation in the Middle East.
Sadly, the story ended in tragedy, with officials reporting that Hersh Goldberg-Polin and five others were murdered in recent days before Israeli forces could arrive to free them.
But while the journey has come to the most traumatic of conclusions, there’s something we must pause to ponder, comprehend and honor: the heroism of a mother fueled by passion and love for her child.
See, Ms. Goldberg-Polin, who has ceaselessly done interviews and shared her family’s story on social media, hasn’t just been a symbol pointing people toward the plight of hostages’ families. She’s been a connective tissue reminding the public that Hamas continues to terrorize the innocents they stole — that people like her son entrapped by evil cannot be forgotten.
There’s a reason Time magazine selected Ms. Goldberg-Polin as one of its “100 Most Influential People of 2024,” with the outlet noting she has met with world leaders, Pope Francis — and has even addressed the United Nations.
Ms. Goldberg-Polin’s impact has been monumental, but her resolve, persistence and grit exemplify what true love truly encompasses.
I first spoke with her just 24 days after the Oct. 7 attack. Despite facing what she called an “indescribable” situation, Ms. Goldberg-Polin was undeterred in seeking her son’s safe release, wasting no time in putting her pain aside to do what needed to be done.
In many ways, her faith was a form of sustenance, guiding her through the thick of the fog before her.
“I am a very God-fearing, faithful person,” she told me at the time. “I say Psalms throughout the day. I pray every morning. That’s a ritual that I have done for many years. I religiously pray every morning, but Psalms — I find to be this great sort of self-help book that you can pick out what is appropriate for the moment.”
Those scriptures helped her conjure up a mantra she routinely uttered to try and inspire her son to keep fighting: “We love you. Stay strong. Survive.” That simple clarion call quite aptly summarized Ms. Goldberg-Polin’s fight and her deepest hopes for her boy.
In May, months after our first discussion, Ms. Goldberg-Polin and I reconnected and she reflected on video footage released by Hamas at the time — 201 days after Hersh was taken at the Nova music festival. She said it was “just unbelievable [and] indescribable” to “suddenly hear Hersh’s voice … and to see him moving.”
Ms. Goldberg-Polin faced mixed emotions. She was finally given evidence he was alive at the time but was grappling with the severe injuries the footage showed, including the loss of an arm. Yet as she had done through the ordeal, Ms. Goldberg-Polin persisted in the fight for her son’s freedom.
When asked how she mustered the courage and energy to forge on, the loving mother offered a clear and resolute response. “A lot of it is, I think, simply the natural response that a mother or a father has when their child is in danger,” she said.
But while Ms. Goldberg-Polin is right that her natural love as a mother drove her quest, there was also a level of selflessness rarely seen in the public square, as she used her advocacy to elevate others — not just Hersh — above herself.
Her work has not only saved lives by keeping attention on the issue, but it also has set a cemented example of what true love, devotion and care look like. During months when no one would have blamed Ms. Goldberg-Polin for emotionally crumbling and retracting from public life, she pushed past the horror and emotion of it all to try to save her child and to help others in need.
“We will not stop until we get our boy home,” she told me in May. “And we get the other … human cherished souls home. Period.”
As Ms. Goldberg-Polin said goodbye to Hersh last week, she once again looked beyond herself in hopes his death might be a turning point that finally yields an agreement that can bring the remaining hostages home.
“I no longer need to worry about you,” she spoke directly to Hersh during the funeral. “You are no longer in danger.”
Let’s continue to pray for Ms. Goldberg-Polin and her family as they grieve this monumental loss, but let’s also ponder and honor the sacrificial ways in which she has handled this horror. May we all have as much grace and care for others in our own lives.
• Billy Hallowell is a digital TV host and interviewer for Faithwire and CBN News and co-host of CBN’s “Quick Start Podcast.” He is the author of four books.
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