On October 7, 2023, Omer Shem Tov was taken hostage from the Nova Music Festival. After 505 days in captivity, Omer was released and joyfully reunited with his family.
Our community experienced some of that joy as we welcomed Omer and his parents, Shelly and Malki, to Boston. In the aftermath of the terrorist attacks, Shelly and Malki were co-founders of the Hostages and Missing Families Forum — the leading organization supporting families while also advocating around the world for the release of the hostages.
CJP is the Forum’s largest funder in the world and, whether in Israel or on Zoom, we have sat with Omer’s parents many times. Each time, Malki would say, “When Omer comes home, we will bring him to Boston.”
It was a great honor to both be in their presence and hear their story of hope and resilience.