Israel says goodbye to murdered hostages as thousands gather for funeral of Hersh Goldberg-Polin in Jerusalem
President Herzog apologizes, promises to 'settle accounts with the despicable murderers'
Thousands of Israelis lined the streets of Jerusalem on Monday afternoon to pay their last respects to murdered Israeli-American hostage Hersh Goldberg-Polin.
Lining the roads leading to the Givat Shaul Cemetery, people waved Israeli flags, with some singing the national anthem, HaTikva (The Hope). Even those who didn't know him personally were moved to tears.
At the funeral, Hersch's father Jon spoke about his son's two good friends and classmates, one of whom, Aner Shapira, was killed after he threw several grenades out of a bomb shelter to save those inside. The other friend, Ben Zussman, was killed while fighting in Gaza on Dec. 3.
“Hersh, Aner, and Ben grew up together and now we join the Zussman and Shapira families. Zvi and Sarit, thank you for taking on the struggle for the release of the hostages and Hersh's release. It's not the end we wanted, but we take comfort that Hersh and Aner are together forever. There is symbolism that you finish saying Kaddish [the traditional mourner’s prayer] for Aner, while we are just beginning.”
“Hersh, I'm sorry,” Jon said. “We're sorry. We failed, you didn't fail. You would push harder, and we will push so that your death and that of all the soldiers will not be in vain. We will bring home the remaining hostages. Our hope has not yet been lost. The life we had with you was a blessing and now we will work to make your legacy a blessing. I love you," he said.
His mother, Rachel, spoke of her joy in being Hersh’s mother.
“Hersh wasn't perfect, but he was the perfect son for me. I am grateful to God. For 23 years I had the privilege of being Hersh's mother, even though I wanted it to be for longer.”
“During these months I was worried about you. Missed you. Now I don't have to worry anymore. Now you'll forever be a beautiful boy,” she said. “I love you and will miss you for the rest of my life.”
President Isaac Herzog also spoke at the funeral of Goldberg-Polin, delivering a moving eulogy.
“Beloved Hersh, with a torn and broken heart, I stand here today as the President of the State of Israel, bidding you farewell and asking for your forgiveness, from you, and from Carmel, from Eden, from Almog, from Alex, and Ori, and from all your loved ones.”
“I apologize on behalf of the State of Israel, that we failed to protect you in the terrible disaster of October 7, that we failed to bring you home safely. I apologize that the country you immigrated to at the age of 7, wrapped in the Israeli flag, could not keep you safe."
"Rachel, Jon, dear Leebie and Orly, grandparents, and the whole family – I ask for your forgiveness, forgiveness that we could not bring Hersh back home alive," Herzog continued.
“Know this, we are witnesses and we will never forget it. There is no door in the world that your beloved family has not opened for you, your rescue and your well-being. There is no stone that they have not turned, there is no prayer and no supplication that they have not cried out, from the end of the world to the end, in the ears of God and man.”
Herzog also spoke about Israel's “duty to settle accounts with the despicable murderers who slaughtered you – Hersh – your friends, sisters and brothers.”
The news of the murdered hostages devastated many in Israel on Sunday morning. Frustration over the hostage situation, the deaths of the six hostages who were alive just days before, and the perceived lack of progress in the war, spilled out in protests across Israel.
The nation began to say goodbye to the hostages on Sunday evening, as thousands gathered in Ra’anana for the funeral of Almog Sarusi, together with his parents, Yigal and Nirah, his two brothers, Amit and Lavah, and his sister Shaked.
His mother, Nirah, bitterly accused the government of abandoning him as she eulogized him.
“My dear son, my beloved. How we prayed to hug you, to see your smile. We hoped to see you happy, surrounded by family and friends, but you were abandoned – every day,” she said.
“You were abandoned on the altar of the destruction of Hamas, the Philadelphi Corridor, and Rafah. You and hundreds more. I hope we will be the last. We need a deal to release the hostages. Almog, return to the arms of your beloved and your friends. We love you so much. You will always be etched in our hearts.”
The funerals of Ori Danino, Alexander Lobanov, and Eden Yerushalmi were held at the same time.
A huge convoy of bikers rode in solidarity with Danino's body to the funeral on Mount Herzl in Jerusalem. Former Chief Rabbi Yitzhak Yosef said Israel must “do everything possible for the release of the abductees, even to release hundreds and thousands of murderous terrorists with blood on their hands. That's what needs to be done.”
Danino's brother Aharon said he hasn’t found any reason to smile since Oct. 7.
“In the last 330 days, I didn’t find any reason to smile. I didn’t find anything to hold onto or anyone to trust, apart from God. You were the pillar of the home, of your friends, and of myself,” he said.
In Petah Tikvah, outside Tel Aviv, thousands of friends and family of Eden Yerushalmi gathered to pay their last respects.
Family members held signs saying, “Sorry Eden.” Her mother, Shirit, apologized to her daughter.
“Eden, my beloved. So many people wanted to get to know you, but not like this. I’m sorry we couldn’t save you.”
The wife of Alexander Lobanov, Michal, eulogized him in tears.
“Love of my life, we swore ‘until death do us part’ so how did it separate us? I’m talking about you in the past tense. God takes the best ones. I want to focus on you, on the love of life, on the freedom that was taken from you on October 7th by these scoundrels. I knew and told everyone you were coming back,” Michal said. “I want to say thank you. You were the best husband in the world, the best person I knew, and everyone here will testify. Sorry I couldn't get you back.”
She promised to raise their children with “your values.”
“You will be our hero, our one and only.”
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The All Israel News Staff is a team of journalists in Israel.
