Rabbi Goldberg, 43, was no longer obligated to serve in the reserves, yet he volunteered out of a deep conviction that defending Israel is a sacred duty.
A year after Rabbi Capt. (Res.) Avraham Yosef “Avi” Goldberg fell in Lebanon, his widow, Rachel Goldberg, has remarried, marking a moment of both remembrance and renewal.
She wed Aminadav Rothenberg on Sunday evening at Kibbutz Kfar Etzion in a ceremony officiated by IDF Chief Rabbi Brig. Gen. Eyal Karim.
Rachel Goldberg smiling next to her new husband, Aminadav Rothenberg. (X Screenshot)
Rachel, a mother of eight, had shared life and community with her late husband in the Gush Etzion region.
Rothenberg, also a widower, teaches at Jerusalem’s Himmelfarb High School, the same school where Rabbi Goldberg taught prior to his service in the military rabbinate.
Public officials and soldiers who served with Rabbi Goldberg acknowledged the emotional significance of the day.
Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich praised Rachel’s strength on X, calling her “a symbol of Israel’s eternity” whose courage reflects “the growth of redemption.”
The 8207th Battalion, where Rabbi Goldberg served as battalion rabbi, issued a heartfelt message as well, noting that “an eye weeps with sadness, yet the heart rejoices.”
In interviews, Rachel has openly described the delicate transition of forming a new household while preserving the legacy of her late husband.
She emphasized that her new marriage is not about replacing Avi, explaining that Rothenberg “is righteous in a different way,” sharing similar values while bringing his own presence into her family’s life.
Rabbi Goldberg, 43, was no longer obligated to serve in reserves, yet he volunteered out of a deep conviction that defending Israel is a sacred duty.
In October 2024, Rabbi Goldberg along with four of his soldiers were killed while engaged in a gun battle with Hezbollah operatives in Lebanon.
Rachel Goldberg – widow of Capt. (res.) Rabbi Avi Goldberg, who fell in Lebanon – married Aminadav Rotenberg, who is also a widower.
Her eight children walked her down the aisle, carrying with them the love and memory of their father.
In a world that has known so much loss, it… pic.twitter.com/TTDTUtDj1p
— נועה מגיד | Noa magid (@NoaMagid) October 27, 2025
He had spent roughly 250 days on reserve duty in his final year. His widow recalled his determination to protect the country despite longing to be home with his children.
Fellow soldiers remembered him as a leader who “carried the heaviest bag in the battalion.”
Rachel and Aminadav’s marriage reflects a story found often in Israeli life: profound sacrifice met with enduring resilience.
Even as a nation mourns its fallen, families continue to choose life, love, and a future built on faith and strength.
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