Parents of Hamas hostage with Chicago roots speak at DNC

Chicago natives Jon Polin and Rachel Goldberg were greeted at the Democratic National Convention stage Wednesday night by a minute-long standing ovation and chants of “bring them home.”

Their son, Hersh Goldberg-Polin, was taken hostage by Hamas during the militant group’s Oct. 7 attack on Israel. The 23-year-old was attending the Nova Music Festival with his friend Aner Shapira, who was killed in the attack while they were taking cover from rockets and grenades in a small bomb shelter with a couple dozen other festival goers.

“Hersh’s left forearm, his dominant arm, was blown off before he was loaded onto a pickup truck and stolen from his life, and me and Jon, into Gaza,” Goldberg said. “And that was 320 days ago. Since then, we live on another planet. Anyone who is a parent or has had a parent can try to imagine the anguish and misery that Jon and I, and all the hostage families are enduring.”

Polin said he and his wife, along with the families of the seven other Americans held hostage by Hamas, meet regularly in Washington, D.C. He said they feel “heartened” there is bipartisan support to release the hostages.

“This is a political convention, but needing our only son and all of the cherished hostages home is not a political issue. It is a humanitarian issue,” Polin said.

They’ve met with President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris, who Polin said are “working tirelessly” for a hostage release and cease-fire deal.

“We are all deeply grateful to them,” Polin said. “We’re also profoundly thankful to you, the millions of people in the United States and all over the world who have been sending love, support and strength to the hostage families. You’ve kept us breathing in a world without air.”

Polin and Goldberg wore stickers with the number 320, drawing attention to the number of days their son has been held. Earlier this year, Goldberg was named by Time magazine as one of the 100 most influential people in 2024.

Goldberg, her son and her husband are dual American-Israeli citizens. Polin grew up in West Rogers Park and Skokie, while Goldberg grew up in Streeterville. The family moved to Jerusalem in 2008 and still have family in Chicago.

“Hersh is a happy-go-lucky, laid back, good humored, respectful and curious person,” Goldberg said. “He is a civilian. He loves soccer, is wild about music and music festivals, and he has been obsessed with geography and travel since he was a little boy.

“Hersh, if you can hear us, we love you, stay strong, survive,” she said.

The parents’ speech put an emotional and human face on the Israel-Hamas conflict, a sensitive issue for Democrats, who face pressure from pro-Palestinian protesters to more forcefully press Israel to end the siege that has leveled much of the Gaza Strip and killed tens of thousands of people, according to the Gaza health ministry, which does not distinguish in its death count between militants and civilians.

As they spoke, thousands of Palestinian supporters marched blocks away to demand the Democratic Party push for an immediate cease-fire to the war in Gaza and an end to U.S. military aid to Israel.

More than 100 hostages remain in Gaza, though some are believed to have died. Family members of six of the eight American hostages still held by Hamas were in Chicago this week to raise awareness about their loved ones' plight.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.