“The Mother Who Turned Grief Into Purpose”

Chosen for turning unimaginable personal loss into a global mission of Jewish resilience: Rachel Goldberg-Polin became one of the world's most recognizable voices for the hostages after her son Hersh was abducted by Hamas, and in 2026, she transformed that journey into a message of love, grief and Jewish responsibility.

The book is about two things and two things only, and that is love and pain.

Rachel Goldberg-Polin, April

In April, Goldberg-Polin published her memoir, When We See You Again, documenting the journey of a mother who spent months fighting for her son's freedom before learning of his death in Hamas captivity.

But her message has grown beyond Hersh. Rachel has become a powerful advocate for Jewish unity, remembrance and moral responsibility, speaking around the world about what it means to remain human in the face of hatred and unimaginable loss.

Her voice is not one of vengeance. It is one of resilience. And perhaps that is what makes it so powerful. She turned the pain of one Jewish mother into a message heard by millions.

That is why Rachel Goldberg-Polin is No. 24 on The 36.