In March 2023, many members of our Berkshire Jewish community got to know Rachel Goldberg-Polin while visiting Israel on the Chabad-Lubavitch-affiliated Rohr Jewish Learning Institute’s LAND & SPIRIT Israel Experience. Rachel worked tirelessly with the group from Chabad of the Berkshires as a concierge dedicated to making sure all ran smoothly on their eight-day tour – one participant recalls seeing her busy resolving issues at the hotel until 1 a.m. and then returning by 6 a.m. to start a new day.
After the abduction of her son, Hersh, by Hamas on Oct. 7, members of the tour stayed in contact with Rachel to express their support and to assist in her efforts to bring Hersh home – Rachel and Rabbi Levi Volovik exchanged texts each week. After Hersh’s brutal murder in August, Chana, the rabbi’s 14-year-old daughter, wrote a letter of condolence to Rachel and her family. Rachel wrote back to Chana hours before Hersch was laid to rest in Jerusalem.
Here is Chana’s letter and Rachel Goldberg-Polin’s response.
Dearest Rachel,
I am writing this letter shortly after I found out about Hersh
Rachel, I am in tears… how can this be?! I davened every day for your Hersh to come home to you and your beautiful family…
I truly have no words. Just pain. Heartache. You and Jon have been fighting for almost a year to bring your beloved son and only son home.
How can people be so evil? How can they be so cruel? It’s beyond me.
Throughout this time while Hersh was in captivity, I davened so hard to Hashem to just bring him home already. I took upon myself so many new hachlatos in merit of the safe return of Hersh ben Perel Chana.
I still can’t believe this is true. How could such a thing happen to the strongest people in the world? You, Rachel. You and your husband are the strongest people. You are my role-models.
For the past 11 months, my dream remained the same. Once Hersh returned, shortly after, I would take a flight to Israel and visit you and your family. I would meet you. I would meet Jon. I would meet your two daughters. And I would meet Hersh. This was my dream. My dream was shattered when I heard the news…
Rachel, even though I can’t meet Hersh, I feel like I really knew him so well. And to tell you the truth, I feel like I know you so super well as well. You are kind, STRONG, caring, warm, graceful, an angel and so many other things.
I hope to meet you and your beautiful family one day. That’s my new dream…
Until then, I am sending you so much love and comfort
With a broken heart,
Chana Volovik
Rachel Goldberg-Polin's Response:
I am so touched and I will try to reply even though right now I am broken. What I will say, sweet Chanale, is that HaShem has a plan. And although I don't like this piece, Hersh is a part of this plan. And Hersh's horrible and tragic death may be the key to unlocking other hostages finally coming home. It may have set it in motion. And that is what I am praying for now. HaShem gave me the most beautiful and precious gift....but only for 23 years. And it was so incredible, and I was so privileged to have the perfect son for me for those delicious years. And I will treasure them for the rest of my life. Now your prayers have to be for my family to stay strong and survive. Because we are devastated and need to get through this next dark chapter. But Hersh will shine his light onto us and I know one day....one day, I will find joy again. I will hear laughter, and I'll turn around, and it will be...ME. I just have to get through this tough spot. Please daven for Yonatan Shimson ben Simcha Gedalia, Leebie Yona bas Perel Chana, Orly Chaya bas Perel Chana and me (Perel Chana bas Mira). We love you and thank you from the bottom of our bruised and battered hearts.