Jon Polin and Rachel Goldberg, parents of Hersh Goldberg-Polin, become emotional as they arrive to speak on stage during the third day of the Democratic National Convention at the United Center on August 21, 2024 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images) Night three of both the Democratic and Republican National Conventions featured gut-wrenching prime-time speeches by the parents of an American being held hostage in Gaza by Hamas terrorists.
Both sets of parents lauded the respective nominee at the conventions. Both speeches, 35 days apart, included a prayer in Hebrew that brings each family strength and hope for their safe return.
On Wednesday, August 21 at the DNC, U.S. Senator Cory Booker (D-N.J.) introduced the parents of Hersh Goldberg-Polin. Their 23-year-old son Hersh was abducted by Hamas from the Nova Music Festival on Oct. 7, 2023 in Re’im, Israel. Footage of Hersh alive surfaced in late April, with his left arm missing at the forearm.
When Jon Polin and Rachel Goldberg, both originally from Chicago, walked out onto the stage, they were met a long ovation and chants of “bring them home.” Twice, Rachel put her hand over her heart and wept, the second time lowering her head to the lectern, overcome with emotion. They both spoke with “320” scrawled in marker on a sticker over their hearts, an indicator of how many days their son has been held hostage.
Throughout Goldberg’s and Polin’s speeches, the cameras panned to teary-eyed, captivated delegates in the crowd. In addition to sharing details about Hersh, Polin and Goldberg related that like the Democratic Presidential nominee, Vice President Kamala Harris, Hersh was born in Oakland, California.
“The families of the American eight hostages meet every few weeks in Washington,” Jon Polin told the crowd at the United Center in Chicago. “We’re heartened that both Democratic and Republican leaders demonstrate their bipartisan support for our hostages being released. We’ve met with President Biden and Vice President Harris numerous times at the White House. They’re both working tirelessly for a hostage and ceasefire deal that will bring our precious children, mothers, fathers, spouses, grandparents, and grandchildren home, and will stop the despair in Gaza. We are all deeply grateful to them.”
“We’re heartened that both Democratic and Republican leaders demonstrate their bipartisan support for our hostages being released.” – Jon Polin
Jon offered a bit of scripture as he pled for leadership to broker a hostage deal. “In our Jewish tradition, we say ‘kol adam olam um lo’o,’ ‘every person is an entire universe,’ Jon Polin said. “We must save all these universes. In an inflamed Middle East, we know the one thing that can most immediately release pressure and bring calm to the entire region: A deal that brings this diverse group of 109 hostages home and ends the suffering of the innocent civilians in Gaza.”
A similar scene played out on night three of the Republican National Convention at the Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee on July 17. Ronen and Orna Neutra appeared on stage to chants of “bring them home.”
Their son Omer was taken captive on Oct. 7, 2023 while serving as a tank commander near the Gaza border. “He was born in New York City one month after 9/11,” Omer’s mother Orna said. “Eight months pregnant, I walked across the Queensboro Bridge towards home that day, and here we are 23 years later, and he’s the victim of another vile terrorist attack.”
Orna shared the prayer that brings her strength.
“Imagine over nine months not knowing whether your son is alive, waking up every morning, praying that he too is still waking up every morning, that he is strong and is surviving,” Orna said. “I recite Psalm 23 in his merit every single day: ‘Gam ki eilech b’gei tsalmavet, lo ira ra ki atah imadi.’ ‘I walk through the valley of the shadow of death. I will fear no evil for thou art with me. Thy rod and thy staff, they comfort me.’”
Omer’s father Ronen spoke about the support they received from the Republican nominee for President, former President Donald Trump. “President Trump called us personally right after the attack when Omer was taken captive,” Ronen said. “We know he stands with our American hostages. We need our beautiful son back.”
They too, exited the stage to the sounds of the crowd chanting “bring them home,” with Ronen lifting a determined left fist to the air.
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