Rep. Schneider to Attend State of the Union with Abby Polin, Aunt of American Hostage in Gaza Hersh Goldberg-Polin

WASHINGTON— Today, Rep. Brad Schneider (IL-10) announced he has invited Abby Polin, the aunt of American Hostage Hersh Goldberg-Polin, to attend President Biden’s fourth State of the Union address. 

Hersh’s parents, Rachel Goldberg and Jon Polin were born and raised in the Chicago area.Hersh was born in California and lived in Virginia before immigrating with his family to Israel in 2008 at age seven. Hersh is today 23 years old.

On October 6, after having a holiday dinner with his family, Hersh left to attend the Nova Music Festival near Kibbutz Re’im. On the morning of October 7th, Hamas terrorists invaded Israel across the border with Gaza, attacking local communities and brutally massacring more than 1,200 people, including 360 people at the music festival. Hirsch was badly wounded when the terrorists threw grenades into the bus shelter where he and approximately 30 other young people sought refuge. Most of the people in the shelter were killed, and Hersh lost his left arm below the elbow. Hersh was last seen in dashcam footage, recorded by the Hamas attackers, showing him with other hostages in the back of a pickup truck headed into Gaza.

Abby Polin joins at least 17 family members of the eight American hostages who will be joining Democratic and Republican Members of Congress at the President’s address. The family members and their hosts are standing united to continue calling for the swift release of all hostages, including the eight Americans. Rep. Schneider will join the families in wearing yellow ribbons and dog tags in solidarity with the hostages. 

“Every day that passes without a deal to bring the hostages home increases the risk that they’ll never be returned to their families,” said Schneider.“It’s more important than ever that we make our voices loud and call for a deal that will ensure the release of the remaining 134 people who are currently imprisoned in Gaza, including Hersh Goldberg-Polin and seven other Americans. During the brutal October 7th attack, Hersh experienced horrific injuries that require urgent attention, and yet he and the many other hostages remain in captivity to this day. I am joining my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to urge Congress and the Biden administration to continue doing everything in their power to reunite the hostages with loved ones as soon as possible. There’s simplyno time to waste.”

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