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What does grief actually look like, and what does it mean to live with it?

In this live conversation recorded at Temple Emanu-El Streicker Center on the eve of Yom HaZikaron, Rachel Goldberg-Polin joins Dan Senor to reflect on love, loss, faith, and the story behind her new book, about the loss of her son, Hersh, who was taken hostage on October 7 and later killed in captivity.

This conversation explores how Rachel understands suffering, why she rejects the idea that grief “gets better,” and how she holds onto faith, love, and what she calls “tragic optimism.” It is a raw and deeply human discussion about what remains when everything changes, and what it means to keep going.

Purchase Rachel’s book here: When We See You Again.

In this episode:

- Life before October 7 and the meaning of Shabbat in Rachel’s family

- The morning of October 7 and the moment everything changed

- What it was like to advocate for Hersh while he was in captivity

- The discovery that Hersh knew his family was fighting for him

- The night Rachel and her family learned he had been killed

- Why Rachel rejects the idea that grief fades over time

- “Toxic positivity” vs. “tragic optimism”

- What grief really is, and what it reveals about love

This episode is sponsored by American Friends of Israel Navy SEALs (AFINS). For a brief video on Buddy Line and to support the program, visit AFINS.us/warriorcare. 

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Credits: Ilan Benatar, Adaam James Levin-Areddy, Brittany Cohen, Ava Weiner, Martin Huergo, Mariangeles Burgos, and Yuval Semo