David Bryfman, CEO of The Jewish Education Project, moderated a conversation with Rachel Goldberg-Polin and Jon Polin on Dec. 8, in which they explored hope as a driving force behind Jewish education and communal transformation.
The event followed the Jewish Futures Conference, hosted by The Jewish Education Project earlier in the day. The conference was designed to spark new visions of a Jewish future rooted in optimism and resilience.
Rachel and Jon are the parents of three children: Hersh, Leebie and Orly. Hersh Goldberg-Polin was abducted by Hamas terrorists from the Nova music festival in southern Israel and held hostage in the Gaza Strip for nearly 11 months. In late August 2024, at the age of 23, he was murdered by Hamas. His body was recovered from a tunnel in Rafah two days later.
“When we think about hope, we must remember it’s mandatory. True courage to do the right thing, even when it’s hard, requires strength and action,” said Rachel. “We’re in a real Chanukah moment because today, like in the story of Chanukah, we are asking ourselves who we are, who we want to be, what we want to project to the world and our why—the most important questions. The real message of Chanukah is when you have darkness just to know that light exists, and each day, that light intensifies. It’s up to us to add to the miracle.”
“For the Jewish educators who are in the trenches every day, I hope we can zoom out and remember that we are part of a 3,500-year chain of history. The core piece is education, giving people tools to understand what they are a part of and what they can be proud of,” said Jon.
The community-wide event, which drew 2,400 people, was hosted by The Jewish Education Project in collaboration with The Temple Emanu-El Streicker Cultural Center, UJA-Federation of New York and RootOne.
Bryfman stated that “Rachel and Jon have exemplified strength, thoughtfulness, and fortitude in the face of unspeakable tragedy. If they remain hopeful about the world, then certainly we all can. It was a privilege to learn from them and to hear their unique insights on how education can lead to a better world for generations to come. We’re committed to using education as a vehicle for hope and inspiration, and to helping every Jewish educator and person who cares deeply about the Jewish future to do the same.”
