UC Santa Barbara’s Chabad chapter, along with its Santa Barbara and Montecito counterparts, hosted Omer Shem Tov on April 13. Shem Tov is an Israeli citizen who was held hostage by Hamas militants following the Oct. 7, 2023 attack on Israel. 

Former Israeli hostage Omer Shem Tov recounted his story of captivity to an audience of about 600 attendees. Conor Kelly / Daily Nexus

Shem Tov recounted his story of captivity to about 600 UCSB students and members of the broader community in Campbell Hall. The talk commenced at 6:30 p.m. with a contextual video montage and concluded after a Q&A segment, moderated by members of UCSB Chabad, at around 8:00 p.m.

Shem Tov was one of 251 hostages taken during the October 7 attack on Israel by the Palestinian militant group Hamas, where around 1,200 other Israelis were killed in the attack. In the aftermath, a reported nearly 68,000 Gazans were killed in what a United Nations commission has deemed a genocide by the Israeli government. Of the Israeli hostages, 166 were freed, with 85 having died in captivity.

Shem Tov has been on a media tour since his release on Feb. 22, 2025. He met with President Donald Trump in March of 2025 and has more recently been visiting college campuses to share his message. He has spoken in support of Trump and spoke at the conservative non-profit organization Turning Point USA’s event “America Fest” in December 2025.

Shem Tov recounted the story of his capture on Oct. 7, his 505 days as a hostage and the days following his release. He emphasized the importance of his faith in keeping him going during his detention. 

“I thank God that he brought back my soul to my body,” Shem Tov said.

He explained the trauma of his kidnapping while trying to flee Hamas militants. He also mentioned the “fun” he had at the Nova music festival that would become a symbol of the attack around the world.

“I can tell you today that the party was one of the best parties that I’ve been in,” he said.

He spoke at length about the conditions of his detention and how he used his faith — which involved a prayer routine — to stay optimistic while in captivity.

“I would say, thank you. Thank you for the air that I have in my lungs. Thank you for the food that I have on my plate. Maybe it’s small amounts, because we were starved there, but thank you for the food that I have on my plate. Thank you for everything that I have and anything that I don’t have,” Shem Tov said.

He also claimed to have been forced to carry “500 boxes” of United Nations-administered food aid through the tunnels at the behest of his captors. This detail related to the debate around whether Hamas militants had routinely intercepted aid shipments for themselves, which was claimed repeatedly by the Israeli government. However, investigations found no proof of systematic theft by Hamas, although incidents of theft from Palestinian civilians were observed.

During the two years of fighting, hostages like Shem Tov were used as negotiating chips as Hamas leadership met with the Israeli government in hopes of reaching a ceasefire deal. This eventually occurred on Oct. 10, 2025, leading to the eventual return of all surviving Israeli hostages. 

Hundreds more Palestinians have been reportedly killed in the months following the ceasefire signed in October 2025.

Shem Tov emphasized the need to appreciate what you have during trying times.

“The amazing thing is that throughout those horrible 505 days that really, I don’t wish anyone to go through, I witnessed miracles day after day after day after day, I witnessed miracles. From small ones to great ones, I witnessed miracles,” Shem Tov said.

A version of this article appeared on p. 5 of the April 16 print edition of the Daily Nexus.