When We See You Again

by Rachel Goldberg-Polin

A searing portrait of a mother’s grief and strength in the wake of unthinkable tragedy.

Once upon a time, I was meandering down the road of life with my husband, Jon. It was a regular and beige life, and it worked. It was a warm beige. We felt, and were, blessed and lucky. Normal.

On the morning of October 7th, 2023, Rachel Goldberg-Polin’s beloved twenty-three-year-old son, Hersh, was stolen from a music festival billed as a celebration of unity and love—and, in that moment, her life was forever separated into The Before and The After. Over the next eleven months, she and her husband, Jon, would work tirelessly—in public and behind the scenes—to secure the hostages’ release, to breathe some humanity into the situation while they were experiencing relentless emotional and psychological torment. The power of her raw and fervent pleas soon made her the face of the hostage crisis. And when Hersh and five other captives were executed after surviving 328 days of violence and cruelty, she would also become the face of its ultimate cost.

In When We See You Again, Rachel pours her pain, love, and longing onto paper, giving voice to the broken among us, and reminding us that even when the world feels choked with darkness, light exists in a different way. How do we find it? Her own experience has been extreme, but at its essence, this is a universal story of trying to live with grief. It is a story of how we remember and how we persevere, of how we suffer and how we love.

“There are days when I break completely,” she writes. “I have cried for an entire day straight. I didn’t think it was physically possible, but the weeping never let up. That is a very long time to cry. I kept hoping I would run out of tears. And then there are days when there is a whisper of sun. Not out there in the sky. In me. In us.”
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Genres: Nonfiction, Israel, Memoir, Jewish, History, Grief, Audiobook

288 pages, Hardcover

Published April 21, 2026

About the author

Rachel Goldberg-Polin, born and raised in Chicago, is a Jewish educator who lives in Jerusalem. She and her husband, Jon, are the parents of three children.


source: Amazon

Reviews

[Carol · Rating 5 out of 5]

I don’t generally write reviews but here is my short and to the point review. Why is this book 4.91 it should be 5.0+
Rachel Goldberg Polin is a poetess and her writing is full of wisdom that she shares with us. I only wish that we all had the privilege of knowing and learning from Rachel under different circumstances.

[Susan · Rating 5 out of 5]

It was an honor to read Rachel Goldberg-Polin’s book.

[Deborah Meghnagi Bailey · Rating 5 out of 5]

Heartrending and utterly luminous

This is a book about loss and horror and grief, and above all, about a parent's immense, blazing love for her beloved son. I read it in one sitting, weeping, as I wept on the day I learned Hersh had been murdered. May his memory be for a revolution. May the grief become easier to bear.

[Cindy H. · Rating 5 out of 5]

The most searing, raw examination of love, pain, grief, grace, wisdom, hope, belief, understanding. I sobbed listening to Rachel’s testimony of her life before and her world after her only son was taken from her in the cruelest, most unimaginable way. This book is NOT at all political! Rachel invites EVERYONE into her suffering and lays no blame or points no fingers. She describes this retelling of her journey, to the “rape of my soul”. The audio read by Rachel is beyond excruciating but equally transformative. Her words are literally now playing on rewind in my mind- hope is mandatory- he who has a why, can bare any how. With my full heart, I implore you to pick up this heartfelt memoir. It is no surprise that Rachel was named by both Time Magazine and USA Today as the 100 Most Influential People of the Year.

[Segal Rothman · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 stars not enough. Ty Rachel for opening up your heart and sharing. I am sorry ♥️

[Zehava (Joyce) · Rating 5 out of 5]

What more is there to say about Rachel Goldberg Polin? Her humanity, her greatness, her grief, her memories, her beautiful beloved boy are what this book is all about. I have heard her speak many times in interviews and podcasts and once in person and it really never gets old. Everyone should buy this book and read this book and share this book. I purchased a copy of this book but when I realized that Rachel was narrating the audiobook I knew I had to listen to it in her own voice and the audio version is really not to be missed.

[A B · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautiful Hersh. There are no words.

שהמקום ינחם אותם

[Julie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I almost never write reviews, but had to for this book: a must read for all. At minimum, I will be forever changed in how I approach someone about their grief, or loved one that passed away regardless of how much time has passed. There are more takeaways, but this stood out the most and I’m still processing.

What a raw, haunting, exquisitely-written, and ultimately hopeful memoir about grief. What a privilege to listen to Rachel and Jon, and to be a witness to their lived experiences, “before”, “during”, and “after”. This book is apolitical. Religion is discussed as part of their lives, but it is not religious.

While we only saw/see her grace and perseverance, Rachel has said in interviews and in writing that in order to get through without collapsing, she had to become an actor…though no falsehoods were ever spoken. I still believe her to have so much grace and perseverance.

While at times it can be difficult to read or listen to (read by Rachel, Afterward by Jon), it was unputdownable for me. The perspective is from parents. Truly a remarkable undertaking.

It can be appreciated regardless of one’s political beliefs, religion, or knowledge or beliefs of what occurred on and after October 7, 2023.

[Bonnie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Listen to this on audio. Heartbreaking, raw, human. The most human.

This parent primal poetic scream of grief will be remembered as a monumental piece of Jewish history alongside Eli Wiesel’s Night and the Diary of Anne Frank. May Hersh’s memory continue to be a revelation and revolution for light, love, and peace.

[Barbara Cohen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Rachel- thank you for sharing your story and your precious son, Hersh with the world. I could feel your pain and emotion throughout the book and listening to the audio version was even more impactful. I’ve followed you and Hersh’s story since 10/7 and commend you for being such a fierce advocate for not only Hersh, but all of the hostages that were taken to Gaza. May his memory forever be a revolution.

[Linda Srour · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautiful. Heart wrenching. Poetic. A tragedy gorgeously written. An oxymoron in and of itself. A true memoir about the question of how to deal with grief and suffering.

Rachel is holy. And I pray she and her family find comfort in the endless grief.

[Jessica · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fuck Hamas!

[Alexandria Fanjoy Silver · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hersh, finally finally finally finally FINALLY you are free.

[Julie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I hope everyone has a chance to read this.

[Ayelet · Rating 5 out of 5]

A must read.

[Germaine · Rating 5 out of 5]

“Wherever your WHY leads me. I'll do it.
I will carry your WHY all over the world. I will flip the usual pattern, and I will make you proud of me. Since I will live longer here in This Place than you did. Instead of you doing things in your life and turning over your shoulder to say, "Look! I did it!"
—I'll do that for you; "Look, Hersh! I'm doing it." I don't know what "it" is. But it's your WHY, so I am running to figure it out, to discover it. I will, doggonit. If it's the last thing I do. I will do it. I will grab the compass off your desk and I will draw the map.”

Durante el tiempo que Hersh estuvo secuestrado, Rachel (junto con Jon) luchó incansablemente por su regreso. La manera en la que movió cielo, mar y tierra por su hijo se me hizo la expresión más naturalmente maternal del mundo. He crecido rodeada de madres devotas, entregadas y que dan y dan y dan sin esperar nada a cambio. Y ver la lucha y desesperación de Rachel fue, para mí, lo más lógico, lo más materno (en el sentido amoroso, completo y excedente de la palabra) del mundo. Ese amor que logró que todo el mundo conozca a su hijo, la oiga gritar por él, y lo ame junto a ella. Verla fue un reflejo de lo que para mí (sin serlo) es ser madre, llevado al extremo. Ese amor que todo lo puede, incluso a pesar del dolor propio, a pesar de tener que cargar un enorme peso. Y ese peso que en su momento fue la lucha diaria por su regreso a casa ahora los acompaña tras su asesinato pero, tal como lo hizo durante esa lucha, será esa inercia de seguir adelante, en este mundo que Hersh amó, con los WHYs que implantó en miles. Me sigue conmoviendo ese amor tan trascendental que tiene por él y lo que ella para mí representa en ese amor tan destilado que puedes tener por alguien.

[Laura Schoen Kotso · Rating 5 out of 5]

It Could Have Been My Son—So I Carry Some of Rachel’s Pain with Honor

I don’t think I can review When We See You Again like a normal book.

I’ve been listening to Rachel Goldberg Polin every single day since October 7th. Not just following the story—really listening to her. Her voice, her strength, her refusal to stop fighting to bring Hersh home. So reading this didn’t feel separate from that. It felt like sitting with everything all over again.

I have two Jewish sons, and that changed everything for me. I didn’t just feel for her—I felt it in a way that was almost unbearable at times. It could have been one of my boys. That thought never really left me.

I wore tape with the days on it—Day 332, the day Hersh was murdered in a tunnel in Gaza. And I kept wearing it until Day 738, when the last live hostage was returned. Those numbers weren’t abstract. They were days that were counted, carried, survived. This book holds that same weight.

There’s a part where she talks about her heart being shattered into tiny pieces, and how it’s easier to share that way—how we can each take a shard. That stayed with me. I will proudly take a shard of her pain if it offers her even a little bit of comfort. That’s what this book asks of you. Not just to read—but to carry something with her.

It’s devastating, obviously. But it’s also full of love in a way that’s hard to explain. Not soft, easy love—something fierce and constant that doesn’t stop, even when everything else does.

This isn’t a book you read and move on from. It’s something you carry.

I will never forget Hersh. And I will never forget her voice.

[Shmuel Yaccoby · Rating 5 out of 5]

Truly a learning journey

That much strength, that much hope, that much faith within a single soul. The writing is quietly powerful and deeply human.

[Jo Levick · Rating 5 out of 5]

Perhaps I am biased, but perhaps my bias is also the truth: Rachel is the most extraordinary woman I know.

There is nothing I could possibly write here that would match her artful way with words—and the world saw it on display for each of the 330 excruciating days she and Jon spent searching for Hersh. Now Rachel has put her profound pen to paper in the form of this incredible book, one which I could not put down from the moment I (admittedly reluctantly, my own grief and trauma nearly getting in the way) opened the cover.

This book is, like its author, truly extraordinary. Perhaps I am biased, but then again, perhaps my bias is also the truth. Read with a box of tissues.

Hersh, your memory is already a blessing, may it now be a revolution.

[Michelle Soley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Raw, Real and Hopeful

Perhaps her why has begun to be clarified by writing this memoir. I hope so, for her.

What she gave the world is a mater class on grief and how to make and transform grief into an ally instead of an enemy.

[Wendy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Quite simply, perfect. Crushing. Inspiring. The best, most important book I've read in years. Surpassed all expectations.

[Catherine · Rating 4 out of 5]

This raw and heartbreaking book is the author’s account of how her son Hersh was kidnapped by Hamas while attending a music festival. He had survived almost a year in captivity when he was killed by the terrorists holding him (and others) hostage.

Anyone that’s lost someone, particularly a child, understands living in The Before and The After. The author gives us an honest and personal view into her profound grief and attempt at navigating her new life without her son. This is a tough read, and a few parts really hit hard in the chest.

Goldberg-Polin’s religion and beliefs (Jewish) are a prominent thread throughout this book, as both have been lifelines in helping her process the kidnapping of her son, as well as her grief. There’s no denying the great love and adoration the author has for her son. You can feel it in every word she writes.

[Roberta Kelinson · Rating 5 out of 5]

I can’t even begin to describe the in-depth feelings I have after reading this book. There is nothing worse in this world than to lose a child, as my grandfather told me years ago when 2 of my uncles passed away at early ages. One minute they were here and the next they were being buried.
This is the story of Hersh and his family the Goldberg-Polin’s.
Their son was killed in the horror of October 7th. He lived amongst terrorists in the tunnels of Gaza but he and his family never gave up HOPE.
For me, as a Jew, it was a constant reminder of the battles we as Jews have endured.
I honor the guts and love and fortitude this family shares in the book.
Please listen to or read this book. It will leave you feeling out Your Why!
You’ll have to read it to u destined that last comment.

[Kayla Kramer · Rating 5 out of 5]

i have no words.

[Peter Fox · Rating 5 out of 5]

Rachel represents the best humanity has to offer. I got to see her talk at her launch event and immediately stayed up to 2am reading the first half. What she has lived through is almost too difficult to comprehend and she speaks with such grace and humanity. The way she translates her grief into words is like poetry.

50 years from now the jewish world will remember Rachel as one of our most illuminating figures.

You can read my full review on Substack: https://open.substack.com/pub/thatpet...

[Cassidy Lamarche · Rating 5 out of 5]

“What I realize now, since my heart is shattered into tiny pieces, is that it is easier to share than when it was one mighty, solid, and strong heart. So please take a shard. Be careful, they are sharp.”

So well written and completely heart wrenching. Rachel has such a way with words, and truly allows us to experience the raw emotion and grief without sugar coating any of it to make it more pallatable.

“I am developing an allergy to this heavy costume of a person that I’ve been wearing.”

“And I hope I can teach myself how to miss someone forever and love someone forever, in a way that doesn’t run me over each day anew.”

An emotionally difficult read, but one that is so necessary. Hersh (Z’’L) has touched so many lives and will continue to do so, through his own actions while here and his family and friends sharing his legacy and letting us all have a glimpse of the incredible person he was. He is influencing others to take steps toward tikkun olam each and every day, all the way from the garden of Eden.

“And the pain will be brushed away like eraser crumbs of a forgotten memory, replaced by the newness of miraculously healed wounds.”

“May your memory be a revolution…for good!”

[Carole · Rating 5 out of 5]

They say reading builds empathy. But strangely, every woman I meet seems to think she’s already been fully gifted with it. I probably think that myself sometimes.

And yet, reading this book scraped something deeper out of me. Maybe it will for you too.

It’s beautifully written, gut-wrenching, and more than anything, important. I felt threads of myself through its pages, especially in its echoes of Man’s Search for Meaning, a book that found me during one of the hardest, most depressive seasons of my life. Seeing those same themes reappear through Hersh’s story flattened me, spooked me. His story is so so so much more tragic than mine. Why are we sharing a common thread?

To give this book five stars, the same rating I’ve given my favorite fictions and fantasies, is inadequate. The scale itself falls short.

So instead, I’ll just say this: Buy it. Read it.

Just as I once took so much from Frankl’s exploration of the mind’s strength in tragedy, this mother’s depth of love has left me in awe. It’s planted a curiosity in me. This is a mother’s love in its purest form, right? Will I return to Rachel’s words someday the same way she returns to Frankl’s? I really hope not. But I’m glad to know they’re here.

[Jax Sandlady · Rating 5 out of 5]

“When We See You Again" is a powerful and emotional memoir. Rachel’s candid recounting of her experiences is both heart-wrenching and beautifully written. It takes immense bravery to share such intimate feelings of grief, and her ability to express her mourning in such a poetic manner.

I highly recommend listening to the book to experience the emotions in her voice, making it even more impactful. Rachel’s reflections on loss, love, and healing can inspire others who are navigating their journeys through grief. This memoir serves as a poignant reminder of the complexities of mourning and the strength it takes to move forward.

[Jennifer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Rachel Goldberg-Polin gives us the gift of her grief. A powerful reflection on life before, during, and after the death of her son, Hersh, by the hands of Hamas terrorists in Gaza. Rachel is a gifted communicator who brings together personal reflection, stream of consciousness, and deep spiritual ruminations to give us a glimpse of the suffering she has endured and continues to endure. An incredible read for anyone trying to grapple with the loss of their own children or to better care for those who have lost children. Also an insightful and wrenching way to better understand an important piece of the October 7 puzzle and its continued effect on us all.

[Alexandra Light · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is a guide for how to fight for a cause then cope when the cause is changed. She eloquently describes her feelings and her child, Hersh. She is learning how to do the unimaginable and in a way that serves all.

" if you have a why, you can survive any how". Sharing her experience is a why. Sharing hersh' life was a beautiful why of this book