Rachel Goldberg-Polin: How She Taught Us to Count, Care & Love

The Pluralist Podcast shares a deeply moving conversation between Rabbi Josh Weinberg and Rachel Goldberg-Polin, originally recorded live as part of the Reform Movement’s Israel in Depth program.Over the past two and a half years, Rachel Goldberg-Polin has become one of the most important moral voices to emerge from the struggle to bring the hostages home after October 7. In this conversation, she reflects on Hersh Goldberg-Polin’s life and legacy, grief, faith, “tragic optimism,” and what it means to continue living after unimaginable loss.Rachel speaks about:faith, love, memory, and continuing forward after loss and why she believes that “grief is a badge of love”Hersh’s prophetic journal writings years before October 7the emotional reality of grief and public mourningLearning about Hersh’s experience in captivityExperiencing “tragic optimism” and connection with Victor FranklThis conversation is not only about tragedy. It is also about humanity, compassion, dignity, and the struggle to remain emotionally open during one of the most painful periods in modern Israeli and Jewish life.📖 Rachel’s book:When We See You again🎧 Subscribe to The Pluralist Podcast for thoughtful conversations about Israel, democracy, Jewish life, pluralism, and shared humanity.