By Jeffrey Catalano
Assistant Editor
On Wednesday, November 19, from 7:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m., Congregation Etz Chaim will be hosting a timely and important discussion on Eli Sharabi’s new book, “Hostage.” Sharabi’s book is a harrowing memoir that recounts how he was kidnapped by Hamas on October 7, 2023, and held in captivity for 491 days.
The best-selling memoir, originally published on June 5, 2025, was recently published in English a little over a month ago, on the two year anniversary of Sharabi’s kidnapping. His book not only recounts his nightmarish ordeal at the hands of Hamas and the many horrors he endured in Gaza for sixteen long months, but his powerful will to survive, even in the most dire of conditions.
“Hostage” serves as both a searing personal account of October 7 and a public testimony of the worst attack on Jewish people since the Holocaust. A little over two years ago, 1,200 innocent men, women and children were murdered in Israel, and over 250 people, including Sharabi, were taken hostage.
On the morning of October 7, Sharabi’s home was invaded by Hamas. When confronted with the terrorists, he tried to cooperate with them in the desperate hope that the lives of his family would be spared. However, not long after he was taken hostage and ripped away from his family, his wife Lian, and two young daughters, Noya and Yahel, were murdered in their home. Noya was 16, and Yahel was 13.
Sharabi’s brother, Yossi, was also captured by Hamas and killed after 100 days in captivity. It was only after his release in February of 2025 that Sharabi learned about the senseless murder of his beloved family members.
In captivity, Sharabi survived and endured inhumane physical conditions that defy description, unrelenting psychological warfare and religious coercion. His captors tried everything in their power to break him, starving and beating him regularly, but his spirit remained indomitable. Initially, Sharabi was held in a safe house in Gaza, and then he was forced into the Gaza Strip tunnels.
Sharabi ’s Hamas captors tried to get him to turn his back on Judaism by reciting verses from the Quran, offering him scraps of food if he did so, but he and a number of others refused.
Sharabi never relinquished his Jewish faith and identity, even as his chances of survival or release seemed completely and utterly hopeless. He credits his faith for giving him the strength to endure his hellish captivity.
In addition to his gut-wrenching account of his long captivity, Sharabi details his release on February 8, 2025 in “Hostage,” and what his recovery process has been like for him on an emotional, spiritual and physical level. His recovery and survival against seemingly all odds offers an unforgettable account of hope to readers from all walks of life.
In Congregation Etz Chaim’s vital discussion of “Hostage” on November 19, attendees will bear witness to how some hostages, like Sharabi, are attempting to rebuild their lives, while others are finally being laid to rest in Israel following the ceasefire.
“Hostage” will undoubtedly spark a conversation that brings the participants of this event together, asking questions like where are we as a Jewish people and where do we go from here?
Everyone is welcome to this special literary and community event, where there will be coffee, tea and light desserts. Please come to hear and talk about Sharabi’s unforgettable book. RSVP is required to attend.
