From the Liveblog of
Saturday, December 2, 2023
Teacher recalls ‘naturally happy’ student, now hostage, at Jerusalem rally
Add ToI as a Preferred Source on GoogleJessica Steinberg, The Times of Israel's culture and lifestyles editor, covers the Sabra scene from south to north and back to the center
Hundreds are gathering in Jerusalem for a weekly vigil for hostages organized by Shomrim al HaBayit (Safeguarding our Home), at Paris Square near Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s official residence.
Dafna Novik, former director for the Lachish mechina program attended by Hersh Goldberg-Polin, speaks about her former student, who has been a hostage in Gaza for the last eight weeks.
She recalls a “naturally happy” student who wasn’t afraid to raise his hand, to meet others, or to express his natural curiosity.
Toward the end of the year, he asked for permission to attend a rally for Iyad Halak, an autistic Palestinian man killed by Israeli police in 2020.
She gave Goldberg-Polin permission to go, and when he returned, he spoke to the rest of the mechina, telling them that “the mourning is great and intense.”
Novik calls Goldberg-Polin’s parents “fighters for justice,” as they wage a global campaign to raise awareness and push to bring their son home.
She quotes Zionist leader A.D. Gordon: “We must enhance the light, not fight the darkness,” adds that the light has gone out in many homes in Israel and the government has to help bring that light back.
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