Family of hostage Hersh Goldberg-Polin dedicates new Torah scroll to his return
Scribe completes last 120 letters, each one inscribed for a remaining hostage in Gaza, while joined by hundreds of members of the family’s Jerusalem community
Jessica Steinberg, The Times of Israel's culture and lifestyles editor, covers the Sabra scene from south to north and back to the center
Hundreds of people gathered Thursday evening in Jerusalem’s Baka neighborhood to complete a new Torah scroll dedicated to the hostages who remain held in Gaza.
The Torah scroll project was initiated by Jon Polin and Rachel Goldberg-Polin, the parents of hostage Hersh Goldberg-Polin, as part of a Week of Goodness effort led by the family to inspire acts of kindness.
The last 120 letters in the scroll were completed by scribe Akiva Garber on Thursday evening, with each one dedicated to one of the remaining hostages.
Israeli believes 120 hostages are currently held by Hamas in Gaza, though dozens have been confirmed dead.
Jon Polin lay his hand on Garber’s arm as the scribe completed the letters, with his wife laying her hand on her husband’s arm in turn.
When the scroll was completed, it was alternately carried by the couple down Baka’s Yehuda Street, both wearing white as they held the scroll underneath a wedding canopy.
They were followed by a crowd of friends and community members who sang songs of hope and prayer, bringing the scroll to its new home in Hakhel Minyan Shivyoni, the Goldberg-Polins’ congregation in southern Jerusalem.
“The last time I stood in this courtyard was on October 6, when we celebrated with the Hakhel community. We danced with the Torah,” Goldberg-Polin said in her remarks, referring to the Simhat Torah celebrations attended by her and her family, including Hersh, the night before the October 7 Hamas attack. “My plan was to return the next morning, but that was not to be.”
Later that night, on October 6, Hersh Goldberg-Polin traveled with his friend Aner Shapira to the Supernova desert rave. Early the next morning, as the Hamas terrorists attacked the party, killing hundreds and taking dozens hostage, Hersh sent his parents two WhatsApp messages telling them he loved them and that he was sorry.
Goldberg-Polin and Shapira attempted to escape the attacking Hamas terrorists by hiding in a bomb shelter in a field near the party scene. Shapira was killed as he hurled back multiple grenades tossed by the terrorists into the shelter.
Goldberg-Polin was taken hostage with three other men from the shelter, after the lower part of his left arm was blown off from below the elbow during the grenade attack.
“Now here we are,” Rachel Goldberg-Polin said at the Torah scroll dedication. “I am looking at this moment as completing the cycle of what was stolen from us. We will complete what we started. But how can we say the prayer with intention and meaning when our hearts are broken? Because we still see kindness, love and blessings. We have been cared for and nurtured and loved. We will say it from our bruised hearts.”
As the Torah scroll was brought to its new home, opened and unrolled for a brief reading from its very end, the Goldberg-Polins recited the Shehecheyanu blessing, used to celebrate special occasions.
A representative for the Goldberg-Polin family said it was a difficult moment, but that the family gathers a tremendous amount of strength from their extended community.
The Torah scroll dedication was one of many that have been held over the last nine months by various hostage families, as part of their efforts and prayers for their loved ones’ return.
The Goldberg-Polins launched their Torah scroll dedication as the final piece of their Week of Goodness campaign, held July 14-21, with the hope that extra kindness, good deeds and generosity in the world could help bring about the release of the hostages remaining in Gaza.
Jewish observance includes the idea that acts of loving kindness can redeem and humanize the world, and the events during the week included opportunities to volunteer, study, give to charity, pray, sing, and bake challah, and the Torah scroll dedication.
