Episode Overview

Podcast: Pablo Torre Finds Out
Episode: Bring Hersh Home: Why a Soccer Super-Fan Taken Hostage by Hamas Is Still a 'Ray of Hope' in Israel
Date: December 12, 2023
Host: Pablo Torre
Guest: Amos Barshad

This episode offers an in-depth exploration of the story of Hersh Goldberg-Polin, a young, passionate soccer super-fan of Hapoel Jerusalem who was taken hostage by Hamas during the October 7 attacks. Through Hersh’s story, Pablo Torre and journalist Amos Barshad examine the intertwined worlds of Israeli soccer, politics, and social identity, highlighting the roles of rival fan bases—from the far-right Baytar Jerusalem ultras ("La Familia") to the left-wing, solidarity-seeking Hapoel Jerusalem supporters. The conversation also delves into the profound impact of the war and hostage crisis on individual families and the larger Israeli and Palestinian societies.

Key Discussion Points and Insights

Framing the Episode: Sports Amid Tragedy

• [00:23] Pablo Torre sets the stage: Expresses caution about shoehorning sports into heavy news, but sees this story as genuinely compelling and authentic in the way sports, politics, and tragedy intersect in Israel.

  • Quote: "Sometimes, you know, sports outlets... just want to shoehorn sports into, like, the serious news story. This one, though, does not feel that way to me." (Pablo Torre, 00:49)

• [01:13] Amos Barshad's expertise: Longtime sports and politics reporter, with extensive work on the role of soccer in Israeli news and broader society.

Baytar Jerusalem & La Familia: Soccer as a Mirror of Right-Wing Israeli Politics

• [05:00] La Familia's aggression: Describes an incident where Baytar Jerusalem's ultranationalist fan group stormed a hospital searching for supposed Hamas fighters, morphing their chants from "death to terrorists" to "death to Arabs" and then "death to left-wing people."

  • Quote: "They’re running around chanting, death to the Arabs. This is the Jewish state. I hate all the Arabs. There’s no confusion." (Amos Barshad, 06:42)

• [06:01] Political entanglement: Baytar Jerusalem, a top-flight team, is politically and culturally aligned with Israel's right wing. La Familia is not just a typical 'ultra' group, but a potent force openly hostile to Arab and Muslim players.

• [07:38] Backlash against inclusion: In 2013, when Baytar signed two Muslim Chechen players (not even Arab), La Familia responded by setting fire to the club’s trophy room, ultimately driving the players out.

  • Quote: "To this date, there has not been an Arab or a Muslim player at Baytar." (Amos Barshad, 08:36)

• [09:11] Politics on the terraces and beyond: Politicians, including Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Minister of National Security Itamar Ben-Gvir, openly court La Familia’s support, using the club’s populist energy as a political tool.

  • [13:07] Racist chants on record: Ben-Gvir seen at games with fans chanting: “We are the most racist team in the country.”

  • Quote: "Minister of National Security going on national news to defend them, which I'm sure they loved." (Amos Barshad, 14:05)

Hapoel Jerusalem: A Socio-Political Contradistinction

• [14:11] Hapoel Jerusalem context: Smaller, passionate fanbase; ideologically left-wing, pro-coexistence, and community owned.

  • Quote: "They are explicitly a club that fights for coexistence… Arab, Jewish solidarity, a very, very different mentality." (Amos Barshad, 14:39)

• [15:03] Club structure: Hapoel is owned by supporters via a direct democracy system, with fans voting on the board and having real influence—offering a model of participatory, progressive fandom.

Hersh Goldberg-Polin: Superfan, Hostage, Ray of Hope

• [16:18] Personalizing the conflict: Hersh, a 23-year-old American-Israeli, is a devoted Hapoel Jerusalem fan, known for his passionate support and activism.

  • Quote: "He becomes just like this really well known fan. And, you know, everyone describes him as cheery, happy, you know, and, and, and always shirtless, like, loves to be shirtless…" (Amos Barshad, 20:07)

• [21:03] October 7 attack and abduction: Hersh was at the Supernova music festival near Gaza during the Hamas attack, where he was severely injured and taken hostage.

  • [24:20] "That's Hersh on the right with another hostage. His left hand and part of his arm is blown off." (Pablo Torre)

• [24:32] Family trauma: Mother Rachel shares the last messages from Hersh ("I love you" and "I'm sorry"), and describes the agony and physical pain of not knowing his fate.

  • Quote: "It’s actual physical pain at all times, and emotional, psychological, spiritual pain. It’s every kind of pain all at once." (Rachel, Hersh's mom, 25:41)

Community Response: Hope and Solidarity Through Soccer

• [26:21] The Hapoel Jerusalem fan community and club have rallied around Hersh’s family, organizing support, creating murals, and keeping the hope for his return alive.

  • Quote: "And now there's these enormous murals of his face, you know, that just say, bring Hirsch home. And I said, you know what? I would love to handle that anger… if I can have him home." (Rachel, 26:21)

• [27:31] Rachel finds some solace in the team’s solidarity and the ideals of coexistence it promotes: "There's still hope. It's hope that's battered and bruised and tender right now. But I'm thankful… they feel so committed to these values." (Rachel, 27:31)

• [28:28] Nerius Smith, fellow supporter, emphasizes the power and comfort offered by collective support during times of suffering.

Political and Human Complexity: Hostages Amid War

• [32:36] Societal reality: While Hapoel’s values are uplifting, Amos emphasizes that Israeli society is, as a whole, more aligned now with Baytar/Ben-Gvir's hardline than with Hapoel's ideals.

  • Quote: "The teams echo the bigger picture. They aren't defining it, but through them I think we can tell these human stories..." (Amos Barshad, 36:55)

• [33:27] Political priorities: Israeli government openly prioritizes war aims over hostage negotiations, with far-right ministers using political leverage to resist concessions for hostage releases.

  • Quote: "There is just a basic fact that some elements of the Israeli government are prioritizing the war over releasing the hostages." (Amos Barshad, 35:02)

Humanizing the Ongoing Tragedy

• [34:26] Time running out for the hostages; negotiations stall as the war intensifies.
• [36:06] Pablo and Amos reflect on their own choices as journalists—why this story, why focus on Hersh, and how sports and fandom provide a unique, personal lens on daunting political realities.

Closing: Symbolism, Family, and the Unresolved

• [38:45] The episode closes with updates from Hersh's family during Hanukkah, sharing memories, hopes, and rituals aimed at keeping Hersh's story alive and present in the hearts of listeners and supporters.

  • Quote: "We love him and miss him and hope he comes home every day." (Libya & Orlie Goldberg-Polin, Hersh's sisters, 39:58)
  • Quote: "But when I have a moment of a happy daydream, I picture him playing soccer... Maybe it’s helping him somewhere..." (Rachel, 28:56)

• [40:26] The family’s daily updates echo the episode’s theme: through community, ritual, and solidarity—however battered—hope persists.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Sports as Politics:
  • "For me this feels like a reflection of the right wing ruling coalition. Politicians have for, for decades fronted as Baytar fans to, to... gain voters." (Amos Barshad, 09:11)
• Fanaticism and Violence:
  • "When they come out into the street, there's violence. The protesters are injured, Arab bystanders are injured." (Amos Barshad, 10:56)
• Mother’s Pain:
  • "If you didn't see that someone's underneath me, like, twisting my ankle, like, backwards… That's what it feels like." (Rachel, 25:41)
• Hope in Darkness:
  • "It's hope that's battered and bruised and tender right now. But I'm thankful..." (Rachel, 27:31)
• Competing Lenses:
  • "These teams... are a lens. They are not the only one. And for that reason, I suppose it would be easier to not have tried to talk about any of this. But if you made it this far listening, I think that means something, too." (Pablo Torre, 40:26)

Timestamps for Key Segments

• 00:23 – 03:30: Why cover this story on a sports show? Framing the connection between sports, politics, and conflict.
• 05:00 – 10:00: The rise and extremism of Baytar Jerusalem’s La Familia and their influence on Israeli society and politics.
• 14:11 – 17:48: Hapoel Jerusalem’s ideology, organization, and community efforts for coexistence.
• 16:18 – 21:03: The life of Hersh, his fandom, activism, and personal journey into the conflict.
• 21:03 – 25:05: Hersh’s kidnapping at the Nova festival, physical suffering, and the family’s last contact.
• 25:28 – 28:56: The family's anguish, community support, and the role of the Hapoel fanbase.
• 32:03 – 33:53: Contrasting the humanization of individual hostages with Gazan casualties and broader political context.
• 34:26 – 36:29: The hostage negotiations, Israeli political hardliners, and their impact on ongoing tragedy.
• 38:45 – End: Hersh’s family’s Hanukkah video updates, the symbolic rituals of holding onto hope, and the final reflections on why this story matters.

Tone, Style, and Final Thoughts

Pablo Torre and Amos Barshad maintain a measured, empathetic tone—mindful of the pain and complexity of the Israel-Gaza conflict, but determined to humanize and contextualize it for listeners through Hersh’s story. The episode balances deep reporting and personal narratives with critical insights about how sports, politics, and identity are interwoven in times of crisis. The hosts do not claim to offer solutions, but aim to provide "a lens, not the lens," through which to better understand a tragedy that often defies comprehension.

Summary prepared for those seeking the full emotional and political context behind Hersh's story—an illustration of how a soccer fandom and its divisions can illuminate the broader struggles, hopes, and wounds of a country at war.