Rachel’s appeal: “Let’s let humanitarian aid get in and let’s let human beings get out”
By Jonathan Feldstein
January 14 will marked 100 days since the inhuman October 7 Hamas massacre of more than 1200 people in Israel and kidnapping of hundreds more, 136 of whom are still being held hostage in Gaza. They are citizens of some 20 nations: Jews, Christians, Moslems, Buddhists, and Hindus.
One of the hostages is 23-year-old Hersh Polin-Goldberg whose parents, Rachel Goldberg and Jon Polin, have had their lives turned upside down, and are leaving no stone unturned to bring him and all the hostages home.
Like Hersh, a dual American-Israeli citizen, who loves travel and who had a two year trip to Asia planned for last month, Rachel has been traveling the world, not for fun but by necessity. She’s met presidents and prime ministers, senators, ambassadors, and even the Pope. As Rachel explains, she fervently believes that Hersh’s deliverance is in God’s hands and she has to “run to the ends of the earth to try to save him.” She says, “I don’t know what stone we will turn over that’s going to be the lynchpin (to free Hersh). I’m a religious person. Prayer has given me tremendous strength and solace. I believe that (Hersh’s redemption) will come from above, from God. But I don’t know what the vessel will be, so I have to go everywhere. I don’t know what God’s plan is: is it the Pope or the nice young woman who came to my door with cookies.”
Hersh was kidnapped from the Nova music festival at which 367 people were slaughtered, women brutally raped, and from which dozens were abducted. Hersh was one of them, after having his left arm blown off by Hamas, and has not been heard from since. (Listen to the whole story on the Inspiration from Zion podcast.)
For Rachel and Jon, that was “another universe ago.” They are distraught from fear and trauma. They struggle for 18-20 hours a day, considering herself and their actions a failure, so far.
In many ways, she has lost faith in humanity.
Rachel shared how, in a private audience with Pope Francis, he shared something that’s been a comfort since: the Pope said what she’s experiencing is “terrorism,” and “terrorism is the absence of humanity.”
Opposite Hamas’ inhumanity, and despite the horrors through which they have been forced to live for more than three months, Rachel displays a strong sense of moral clarity and abundant humanity. Citing the example of the ceasefire during which 105 hostages were released, along with vast humanitarian aid for Gazans, Rachel believes this should serve as “the model” for the release of all the remaining hostages.
Unlike many of the other distressed families who anxiously watched whether their loved ones would be released in the Hamas orchestrated media event, Rachel had no expectations that Hersh would be among them, because it was only for women and children. This allowed her to celebrate the release of every single one of the hostages, especially as the families of the hostages have become an extended family themselves.
Rachel also would like to see more humanitarian aid going into Gaza, noting that hundreds of thousands of Gazans are also suffering, 85% of whom have been displaced. “Let’s let humanitarian aid get in and let’s let human beings get out.”
Rachel speaks of the need for action, not emotional support. She implores people to think outside the box. As a US citizen, she’s grateful for President Biden and others who she says do care. There are six living American hostages left, following the third biggest massacre of Americans since September 11. Despite US support, she urges daily action, noting, “Americans don’t like it when Americans are taken hostage against their will.” Americans should contact the White House every day with a simple message:
“There are 136 people including six American hostages held by Hamas. I am not OK with it.”
(White House comment line: 202-456-1111; Email: president@whitehouse.gov)
Rachel notes candidly that she has seen no sign of the Red Cross’ willingness to actually be of material help, but tries to give them the benefit of the doubt. Their position – “We’re here on the border. We want to go in. Hamas won’t let us in,” is a deflection. Rachel believes that “where there is a will there’s a way” and that more can and must be done. She wonders rhetorically why can they not, or won’t, do more and draw red lines for Hamas?
Rachel laments the world is turning a blind eye to the plight of the Israeli hostages. If this had been happening elsewhere in the world, people would display far more concern than they are showing for the Jewish/Israeli hostages. She lays the blame liberally. “I have failed. We have failed. World governments have failed.”
So frustrated, she constantly questions:
“How is it possible that we can’t get our people back?”
The world needs to know that the Israeli hostages came from 33 countries, aged 9 months to 87-years-old. Of the136 still in Hamas captivity, 23 are confirmed dead. She cites examples that had the hostages been kidnapped from anywhere else other than the Jewish state of Israel, the world would be up in arms.
The Genesis 123 Foundation has initiated a global petition campaign to free ALL the hostages.
Rachel is encouraged by the large Christian support noting that over 100,000 sent pictures of a place setting at their Christmas table with Hersh’s name on it.
On Sunday, January 14, Rachel appealed for people to participate in an urgent and simple humanitarian message by taking a piece of masking tape or a sticker with the number 100 and put it on their clothes above their heart. The goal is to enlist one million people of all religions to participate.
Rachel Goldberg is one relative of just one of the 136 hostages. In addition to the hostages who we need to pray for and advocate on behalf of, there are thousands of loved ones of all these hostages living a slow-motion trauma, sometimes feeling hopeless, whose lives have been turned upside down, and for whom even when their loved ones are released, their lives will never be the same again.
Rachel takes comfort she saysfrom the Psalms – “it’s a real self-help book. I say psalms throughout the day” – and noted the ones that provided the most comfort and encouragement as 135, 121 and also Psalm 13 which in desperation asks of God:
“How long are You going to make me go through this?”
Click here to sign the petition to release ALL the hostages.
About the writer:
Jonathan Feldstein - President of the US based non-profit Genesis123 Foundation whose mission is to build bridges between Jews and Christians – is a freelance writer whose articles appear in The Jerusalem Post, Times of Israel, Townhall, NorthJersey.com, Algemeiner Jornal, The Jewish Press, major Christian websites and more.
While the mission of Lay of the Land (LotL) is to provide a wide and diverse perspective of affairs in Israel, the Middle East and the Jewish world, the opinions, beliefs and viewpoints expressed by its various writers are not necessarily ones of the owners and management of LOTL but of the writers themselves. LotL endeavours to the best of its ability to credit the use of all known photographs to the photographer and/or owner of such photographs (0&EO).
