In the ongoing tragedy of Hamas’s October 7th attack on Israel, the Israel Defense Force (IDF) reported on September 1 the discovery of six murdered hostages, one of them Hersh Goldberg-Polin. The bodies were found in a tunnel in Gaza. According to IDF reports, the victims had been killed shortly before their discovery. Mr. Goldberg-Polin had family and friends in Newton.
Since the October 7th hostage taking, Newton residents Miriam and Jeffrey Kosowsky have wanted to stress that Hamas’s hostages are real people with real lives. In that spirit, they put up in front of their home posters with pictures and a brief biography of each of the people seized in the Hamas attack. After an attack on all the pictures and the Kosowsky’s fence, the Kosawskys were determined to rebuild their Hostage Memory Wall. At its rededication, Ben Spira, a Newton teenager, spoke movingly about Mr. Goldberg-Polin, who had been his counselor at an Israeli camp the preceding spring. He spoke of his counselor’s warmth and adventurous spirit. As he spoke, Miriam Kosowsky held up a picture of Mr. Goldberg-Polin, whose parents have been tireless in their efforts to secure the release of the hostages. Most recently, the parents addressed the Democratic Convention in Chicago, telling their son’s story and appealing for a solution to the stalled hostage release.
Fourth Congressional District Congressman and Newton resident Jake Auchincloss said:
My family & I mourn with the families of Hersh, Carmel, Eden, Alexander, Almog and Ori. May their memory be for a blessing. Hersh, a fellow American, had strong connections to Massachusetts and I was able to meet with his parents, Rachel and Jon. Their courage in the middle of every parent’s nightmare should strengthen the resolve of all Americans to return all the hostages, through means military and diplomatic. Hamas murdered these hostages, knowing that rescue was imminent. It is further evidence of the unbounded depravity of these terrorists. Together, the United States and Israel will get justice.
— Rep. Jake Auchincloss
Today, Mrs. Kosowsky reiterated her commitment to maintaining the wall “to highlight that there are still hostages.” She told Fig City News:
Each of the hostages who was killed, was not just a name, but a real person. Hersh, Eden, Carmel, Ori, Alex, and Almog each had a family who loved them, friends they laughed with, hobbies they enjoyed, people they took care of, a favorite cookie. Hersh had two younger sisters, Libby and Orli, who will never feel his big brother hug again. Alex has two little boys, and never got to meet his youngest son who was born while he was held hostage.
Their murders reverberate around the world and touch us personally in Massachusetts. Hersh’s aunt and uncle live in Newton. Hersh was a counselor for Ben, who was a student at BU. Each one of you was a world and Hamas murdered you. We all feel the loss, we all mourn for you.
— Miriam Kosowsky
