Jessica Steinberg, The Times of Israel's culture and lifestyles editor, covers the Sabra scene from south to north and back to the center
Former hostage Erez Calderon at his October 31, 2024 bar mitzvah in Kiryat Gat. (Courtesy)
Hostage families mark different life cycle events this week, as former hostage Erez Calderon, 13, celebrated his bar mitzvah in Kiryat Gat, where his community, Kibbutz Nir Oz, has been living for several months. Calderon read from the Torah at a local synagogue.
Calderon was released with his older sister, Sahar, 17, after 52 days in captivity. Their father, Ofer Calderon, remains in Gaza.
In Herzliya, the family of hostage Omer Shem Tov marked his 22nd birthday, his second birthday in captivity.
The crowd of hundreds walked with the family through the streets of Herzliya, holding yellow and white balloons.
“You all want to meet him,” says his mother, Shelly Shem Tov, to the crowd, which then sang Happy Birthday.
“He’ll be here soon,” says Shem Tov.
The commemoration was attended by former hostages and siblings Itay and Maya Regev, who were taken captive alongside Shem Tov from the Nova music festival and later released during November’s hostage deal.
Former hostages Maya Regev (far right) and Itay Regev (far left) at a birthday celebration on October 31, 2024, in Herzliya for hostage Omer Shem Tov, still held in Gaza. (Dana Reany)
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From the Liveblog of
Friday, November 1, 2024
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