Shelley Shemtov on hope, faith and survival
Shemtov spoke of the pain, hope and faith that sustained her during her son Omer’s time in Hamas captivity.
UIA Women’s Division recently held a moving evening with Shelley Shemtov, the mother of Omer Shemtov, who was held captive in Gaza and freed after 505 days.
In conversation with Karina Shpigel, Shemtov shared her pain, faith and relentless hope that sustained her until Omer’s return.
Asked where her strength came from Shemtov said, “For us… Omer was in captivity in the hands of the devil and I needed to do everything that I can to bring him back home.”
She added, “I was speaking for Omer, but not only for Omer, because we were speaking for everybody… Because for me, it was harder if I wouldn’t do something.”
The Shemtov family played a vital role in advocating for the release of all the hostages and helped form the Hostages and Missing Families Forum.
Shemtov said that on October 7 2023, the day of the Hamas attack, there was no official help for the hostage families.
“Nobody is answering, nobody … It was a big mess,” she said.
The Shemtov family decided to post a picture of Omer on social media and called on other families with missing children to come together. Their home became a hub for families of the missing and political strategists who gathered to campaign for the release of the hostages.
Shemtov thanked the Australian Jewish community and diaspora for their support in campaigning for the hostages’ release. “We couldn’t do it without you. You are part of us, and we are part of you. And this is our strength.”
As to how she retained hope during the struggle to free Omer, Shemtov said she turned to faith.
“I started to talk with God, and I said… ‘I don’t have control about Omer’s situation, but please let me understand what is in my control’. So I sat on Omer’s bed… and then it popped up, positive thinking creates positive reality,” she said.
Shemtov said after praying she noticed Omer’s room was a little messy and decided that no one would touch his room and Omer would clean it when he returned, and thankfully he did.
Describing how it felt to hold him after 505 days of captivity, Shemtov said, “Pure happiness… for me Omer was reborn again, and wow, it’s like a miracle.”
As Shemtov recounted her story as Omer watched on, for many in the audience it did indeed feel like a modern miracle.