What Wearing Dog Tags Honoring the Hostages Can Teach Us

Back in November I was in the Chicagoland area for a short visit.  Like many others, my thoughts and prayer’s were and still are with Israel, the hostage’s and their family members.  I wanted to do something to help, yet I didn’t know what to do.  This was when I started hearing about the “Bringing Them Home Now” dog tags people were wearing in support of the hostages.  I really wanted to get one.  Because I was traveling, ordering the “Bring Them Home Now” dog tag online was impossible.

I heard about an event at a synagogue in Deerfield, IL that was selling Israeli art for Hanukkah.  I was sure that I would be able to purchase the “Bring Them Home Now” dog tag there.  Sadly I was wrong.  Not one booth had them.

I was about to leave the synagogue when I notice a woman wearing the dog tag. I went up to her and asked where she got it.  The woman shared that she bought them at her shul.  

Sadly I was leaving the area before I would be able to go purchase the dog tag.  I was disappointed because I didn’t know when I’d be in a Jewish community again. 

As I was chatting with the woman, I mentioned that my cousin Hersh Goldberg Polin was one of the hostages. She told me that everyone in Chicago knew my family, and everyone was praying for Hersh’s safe return and his immediate family. The woman immediately removed her “Bring Them Home Now” dog tag from around her neck, and proceeded to place it around mine.  

I told her no, that she needed to wear hers.  The woman insisted. She continued by saying that she could get another one the next week.  She then went on saying it was a mitzvah for her to give me the “Bring Them Home Now” dog tag, and it was a mitzvah for me to wear them in honor of my cousin and the rest of the hostages  I’ve worn my “Bring Them Home Now” dog tag every day since receiving such a precious gift.

I was doing a great deal of traveling and was in so many different non-Jewish communities.  With the increase of hate crimes against Jews in the United States (and globally), I just wasn’t sure if wearing the “Bring Them Home Now” dog tag would increase the likelihood of being targeted in a hate crime or not. I kept telling myself not to let fear rule my life, so I and kept the necklace on — making sure it was easily seen.

My wearing of the necklace was extremely educational.  I was shocked to learn how many people were unaware of the war in Gaza / Israel that was started by Hamas, let alone not knowing anything about the number of Individuals (men, women and children) taken hostage.  Most that I spoke to were clueless that there were any American hostages.  

I started to feel like it was my responsibility to educate as many people as possible when anyone asked about my“Bring Them Home Now” dog tag necklace.  During these conversations I encouraged everyone to Google the words “contact White House” and send emails demanding that President Joe Biden, along with Congress do everything possible to free the hostages.

I was surprised at how much support folks from rural Christian communities that wanted to get involved, yet were unsure how to do so.  I told everyone interested about the “Bring them Home” webpage and to look them up on Facebook, to follow the group to receive updated information.  I also made sure they knew about the “Bring Hersh Home” site too.

I think what shocked me the most was the fact that twice while I was in two different states, two different Muslim women came up to me and asked if they could give me a hug. I was a bit fearful due to my automatic, false belief that “all” Muslims want to harm Jews. I knew better then this, yet with the atrocities committed by Hamas and by too many civilians in Gaza, to many red flags went up.  

Neither of the two women had any idea that one of my relatives was being held hostage. Both women told me they just wanted to show their support to Jews globally. They both wanted me to know what Hamas did was wrong, and that Hamas did not represent the majority of the Muslim people. They wanted me to know that not all Muslims were terrorists.

Their actions and statements resonated within my neshema. What they said reminded me how dangerous it is to stereotype any group of people. As much as we want to clump people together, it’s vitally important we don’t.  We need to see people as individuals first and not see them by race, religion, or political affiliation (right or left).