Brandeis Magazine

Rachel Goldberg-Polin ’92 has been named one of Time magazine’s 100 Most Influential People of 2024 for her fierce advocacy in behalf of her son and the hostages still held captive by Hamas since its invasion of Israel.

Goldberg-Polin’s 23-year-old son, Hersh, was kidnapped by the terrorist group on Oct. 7 while attending the Supernova music festival with his best friend from childhood. His forearm was amputated by a grenade during the attack.

According to Time, Goldberg-Polin has “become one of the most visible advocates for the hostages and their families,” meeting with dozens of world leaders, including President Joe Biden and Pope Francis, to advocate for the immediate release of her son and the others in captivity. She has also addressed the United Nations in New York City and Geneva.

But it was not until April 24, on the 201st day of Hersh’s captivity, that his parents learned their son was still alive. Goldberg-Polin and her husband, Jonathan Polin — who, like Hersh, are dual citizens of the United States and Israel — viewed a Hamas propaganda video in which their son spoke directly to them in Hebrew, apparently from a script. In the video, he stated that he had been held for “almost 200 days,” and that he loved and missed them. American and Israeli intelligence agencies believe the video was made a couple of days before Hamas released it.

In an April 25 interview with CNN’s Anderson Cooper, Goldberg-Polin said, “He’s alive, and there are so many families that don’t have that proof. We just feel very blessed that we got that.”

In another interview, on MSNBC’s “Morning Joe,” Goldberg told co-host Mika Brzezinski, “I am appreciative that people are pulling levers and using leverage, but clearly not enough, because if it was enough, then these people would be home. And so I would beseech everyone in power to push harder. […] I want my only son home.”