Rachel Goldberg-Polin has released a memoir detailing her efforts to secure the release of her son, Hersh Goldberg-Polin [1].
The account provides a personal window into the psychological and political toll of the hostage crisis, highlighting the desperation of families seeking news of their loved ones.
In the book, titled “When We See You Again,” Goldberg-Polin recounts the approximately two years [2] following the Hamas attack on Oct. 7, 2023 [1]. The narrative focuses on her fight to free her son or determine his fate after he was taken hostage and held in Gaza [1], [3].
The 272-page memoir [2] serves as both a personal record of grief and a public call for the release of captives. Goldberg-Polin said she wrote the book to publicize the plight of hostages and to process the trauma of the abduction [3], [4].
Reports regarding the final status of Hersh Goldberg-Polin vary across sources. Some accounts indicate the memoir focuses on the journey following the abduction while he remained a hostage [2]. Other reports state that her son died in a Gaza tunnel [3].
The author's journey reflects a broader pattern of advocacy by families of the kidnapped, who have pressured governments and international bodies to prioritize hostage negotiations. Goldberg-Polin said she used the writing process to articulate the ordeal of losing a child to conflict, an experience that has defined her life since the 2023 attack [2].
“The narrative focuses on her fight to free her son or determine his fate.”
The publication of this memoir underscores the enduring human cost of the Oct. 7 attacks and the subsequent conflict in Gaza. By documenting the two-year struggle for information and release, Goldberg-Polin transforms a private family tragedy into a public testament to the complexities of hostage diplomacy and the prolonged uncertainty faced by victims' families.
