Gabriel, 'man of God': a name, a message of peace

Par Gabriel Goldberg 26 October 2026 7 min read

In short: Gabriel comes from the Hebrew Gavri'el (גַּבְרִיאֵל), built from gever ('man', 'strong man') and El ('God'): 'man of God' or 'God is my strength'. It is the name of the messenger angel recognised by Judaism, Christianity and Islam (Jibrīl). A name that connects rather than divides — and carries, for me, a simple message: there is nothing sacred about violence. My name is Gabriel. In Hebrew, the original language of the biblical text, it means 'man of God'. And I often talk to my Boss. The verdict is final: He has had enough. He has had enough of watching fanatics and ignorant people kill, attack, humiliate or discriminate against other human beings while claiming to act in His name. Gabriel Goldberg with his hand on the stones of the Western Wall in Jerusalem, among the small prayer notes slipped into the cracks, wearing a 'United States of Belgium' T-shirt. A name like a roadmap You don't choose your name. You receive it, like a suitcase whose contents you discover along the way. Mine is both heavy and light. Heavy, because Gavri'el joins two immense words: gever , the upright, strong man, and El , God. Light, because the Gabriel of the scriptures is neither king nor warrior. He is a messenger. He never arrives with a sword: he arrives with news. In the Book of Daniel, he comes to explain a vision. In the Gospel of Luke, he announces a birth. In Muslim tradition, Jibrīl transmits the word. Three traditions, one messenger, one role: connecting heaven and humanity…