Chabad at UCSB, Chabad of S. Barbara, and Chabad of Montecito will host From Captivity to Freedom: A Talk with Omer Shem Tov, 6:30 p.m. Monday, April 13 at UCSB.

Omer Shem Tov was kidnapped from the Nova music festival during the Oct. 7, 2023 terrorist attack in Israel and spent 505 days in captivity in Gaza before returning home.

He will share his personal story of survival, faith and strength. The program will include a moderated conversation followed by a Q&A.

“This is a chance for our community to come together and hear a firsthand account of survival and resilience,” said Rabbi Gershon Klein of Chabad at UCSB. “Omer’s story is deeply moving, and hearing it in person is something that will stay with people.”

Admission is free for students. Community members are invited to attend with an optional donation of $36. To register, visit omerinSB.com.

The exact location of the event at UCSB will be shared with registered guests.

Rabbi Chaim Loschak was born and raised in Santa Barbara and currently serves the local community as rabbi at Chabad of Montecito. The opinions expressed are his own.