On April 22, RTA–Richmond Hebrew Day School dedicated its gymnasium in memory of Hersh Goldberg-Polin z”l, a former RTA student who was taken hostage from the Nova music festival and murdered by Hamas in Gaza.

The ceremony gathered students, faculty, alumni, and community members to honor Hersh’s legacy and the values he embodied.

Hersh’s parents, Rachel and Jon Goldberg-Polin, shared reflections on their son’s early years at RTA and the lasting impact of its educators.

“His teachers helped ignite the intellectual curiosity and moral clarity that defined him,” Rachel said.

She also spoke of the school’s weekly Oneg Shabbat, where Hersh would sit next to RTA longtime educator, Rabbi Yosef Skaist, and sing Acheinu, a prayer that has since become an anthem for hostage families in Israel.

Rachel recalled how the two would sit with their arms around each other, singing words that feel even more urgent today:

“May God bring them from their distress to comfort, from darkness to light, from slavery to redemption...”

Head of School Rabbi Elisha Paul reflected on Hersh’s enduring influence and thanked Rabbi Dovid Asher of Keneseth Beth Israel for facilitating the lead gift that made the dedication possible.

Rabbi Asher spoke of Hersh’s empathy, resilience, and unwavering care for others—even in crisis.

We are especially grateful to the Honorable Governor Glenn Youngkin, who attended the ceremony and offered a keynote address.

He spoke with moral clarity about the battle between good and evil, reaffirmed his commitment to combating antisemitism in the Commonwealth, and voiced his continued support for Israel and Virginia’s Jewish community.

The newly dedicated gymnasium now carries Hersh’s name and memory forward in a space filled with energy, community, and Jewish identity.

Students with a signed RTA basketball by Gov. Youngkin.

See some more photos from the program in our Photo Gallery.