Childhood friends Hersh Goldberg-Polin and Yuval Shoham grew up together in Jerusalem’s Baka neighborhood, where both their families were involved in the egalitarian prayer community Hakhel.
Yuval was among the soldiers tasked with finding Hersh when he was taken hostage from the Nova music festival on Oct. 7, 2023. Tragically, Hersh’s death was announced by his family over the summer, leading to a wave of grief in their community.
The Shoham family faced their own tragedy when the Israeli military reported Yuval’s death in an operational accident in Jabalia, northern Gaza. Yuval, aged 22, served as a staff sergeant in the 9th Battalion of the 401st Brigade.
Staff Sergeant Yuval Shoham, 22, from Jerusalem, died Dec. 29, 2024 in the northern Gaza Strip. (IDF Spokesperson’s Unit)
A large crowd gathered for Yuval’s funeral at Mount Herzl, Jerusalem’s military cemetery, as his father Ephraim, an associate professor of Jewish history, urged Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to secure a ceasefire deal with Hamas and bring back the remaining hostages.
Yuval’s high school, Himmelfarb High School, mourned his loss as the ninth graduate to die in the war. His dedication to finding and bringing back hostages, particularly his connection to Hersh Goldberg-Polin, was noted by his brother Shahar.
Both the Shoham and Goldberg-Polin families have expressed the pain and longing for peace amidst the ongoing conflict. Oshrat Shoham, a lawyer, emphasized the need for healing and mercy in a powerful sermon delivered at Hakhel on Yom Kippur.
Despite the immense suffering caused by the war, she also spoke of the importance of finding a new spirit of restoration amidst the brokenness.
“We will never be the same, and we can’t forget the devastation,” she said. “But it is our duty to find a new path of healing alongside the brokenness.”
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