For 331 days, Rachel Polin Goldberg has spoken to us like family, and we listened. Just a few short days ago she stood with other hostage families and screamed out to her beloved son Hersh, can you hear me? We are here! We are not going anywhere.

Today her screams fell silent. She has been reunited with her beloved 23 year son Hersh, but not in the way she had so desperately hoped. Her and the other five families each have their own story of hoping their chapters would end in different way. Their pain is all of our pain. This pain is the pain of our generation. They will now have to be separated again, by burying their loved ones and truly being their unfathomable grief.

I was talking to a friend today who put it into perspective. We are in mourning for people we have never met. In Israel, you probably can’t go far without someone have a family or friend connection to one of the hostages and one of the souls murdered yesterday. It is true.

It is hard to fathom that these six beloved Neshamas (souls) were alive two days ago. When Rachel was screaming to out to her son on Thursday, he was alive, they were alive. Now they are gone.

We will remember:

Hersh Goldberg Polin, 23 – at the Nova Festival with his friend to celebrate his birthday. He lost his arm by throwing grenades out of their hiding place.

Carmel Gat, 40 – taken hostage from Kibbutz Be’eri. Her mother Kinneret Gat was killed in the attacks.

Alexander Lobanov, 32 – a husband and father of two, the youngest born five months ago while he was being held. The baby will never meet his father.

Ori Danino, 25 – who escaped the Nova Festival but had gone back to save others when he was captured.

Almog Sarusi, 27 – was at the Nova Festival with his girlfriend, who was injured and died and he stayed with her until he was captured.

Eden Yerushalmi, 24 – working as a bartender at the Nova Festival, who was on the phone with her sister for four hours until she was caught and captured.

May His great name be blessed forever and to all eternity. Blessed and praised, glorified and exalted, extolled and honored, adored and lauded be the name of the Holy One, blessed be He, beyond all the blessings and hymns, praises and consolations that are ever spoken in the world; and say, Amen.

May all their memories be a blessing.

Amen.