For over a year, Omer Shem Tov was held captive in Gaza. Since his release, he has made it his mission to share his story of survival and resilience.
Tuesday, April 14, 20266:30 PMLocation To Be Announced
Reception Begins at 5:30 PM
Talk Begins at 6:30 PM
After registering, you will be emailed an RSVP confirmation. If you do not receive your email confirmation, please check your spam or junk mail folders.
Organized by Hillel at UCLA. Co-sponsored by the UCLA Y&S Nazarian Center for Israel Studies.
About the Speaker
Omer Shem Tov is a former Israeli hostage who was abducted by Hamas from the Nova music festival on October 7, 2023, and held captive in Gaza for 505 days. His ordeal, including reports of abuse and his refusal to cooperate with captors’ demands to harm others, was widely covered in major news outlets and made him a symbol of the ongoing hostage crisis and its impact on Israeli society. Just after his abduction, Shem Tov's parents became among the founding members of the Hostages and Missing Families Forum. His uncle traveled to the Red Cross headquarters in Geneva to petition for medical assistance on his behalf. Following his release in February 2025, Shem Tov traveled internationally, appearing at public events and meeting with political leaders, to share his story of survival and resilience.
DISCLAIMER: The views or opinions of our guest speakers and the content of their presentations do not necessarily reflect the views of the UCLA Younes and Soraya Nazarian Center for Israel Studies. Hosting speakers does not constitute an endorsement of the speaker's views or opinions.
Sponsor(s): Hillel at UCLA