Hersh Goldberg-Polin
Ori Danino
Carmel Gat
Alexander Lobanov
Almog Sarusi
Eden Yerushalmi
Rachel and Jon Goldberg-Polin, Hersh’s parents, recently spoke about his captivity. Jon said, “There is a surplus of agony on all sides of the tragic conflict in the Middle East. In a competition of pain, there are no winners.”
But now their pain is even more acute. And we mourn with them, and all others who mourn. “I pray that your death will be a turning point in this horrible situation in which we are all entangled,” Rachel said at Hersh’s funeral.
As the dead are laid to rest, and over one hundred people are still held captive, we weep. Rachel and Jonathan did everything in their power to redeem their captive son. They met with the Pope, the President, heads of state – and their efforts were for naught. The Prophet Jeremiah foretold, “A cry is heard in Ramah— Wailing, bitter weeping— Rachel weeping for her children. She refuses to be comforted for her children, who are gone.” Our matriarch Rachel, and Hersh’s mother Rachel wept, and their tears continue to flow. Jeremiah also said, “Oh, that my head were water, My eyes a fount of tears! Then would I weep day and night for the slain of my poor people.”
The rabbis have taught that there is no greater mitzvah than Pidyon Shvuyim – redeeming the captive. As we will mark the one-year anniversary of the horrific events of October 7 between Rosh HaShana and Yom Kippur, this period of introspection should cause us to ask of ourselves, what have we done to advance the cause of redeeming the captives? Can our voices grow louder? Can we leverage our power and privilege to call upon our leaders to negotiate an end to this human and spiritual tragedy? Can Rachel’s prayer, that Hersh’s death be the impetus to ending this crisis and returning those still captive to their loved ones, be realized through our efforts?
Today, September 4th, is the first day of the month of Elul, the month immediately preceding Rosh HaShana. It is during these days that we begin the work of Teshuva (turning – repentance). In the distance we see Yom Kippur, the final day to ask for God’s forgiveness for our weaknesses and failures. It is now that we start the process: we look inside, question our motives, our efforts, our desires, our goals. The rabbis have told us that the name of this month: Elul, is an abbreviation of the words from the Song of Songs, “I am my beloved’s and my beloved is mine.” They tell us this to remind us that God loves us, if we but love God in return. And how do we show our love of God? By heeding the commandments and walking in God’s ways. And working to redeem the captives is an essential element of this process to end “this horrible situation in which we are all entangled.”
May the days ahead help prepare us all to enter the New Year with our hearts and spirits ready to turn our lives into ones of meaning and action. We pray for the peace of Jerusalem, and all the world.
B’yedidut (In friendship),
Gary
Rabbi Gary M. Bretton-Granatoor
Congregation Shirat HaYam, Nantucket