Omer Shem Tov, who was held captive by Hamas for 505 days, on Wednesday night received the prestigious "Here Am I" award from the Friends of Zion for his global advocacy.
The award was presented by Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar, Knesset Speaker Amir Ohana, US Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee, and Friends of Zion founder Dr. Mike Evans.
The award, presented at the opening event of the Ambassador Summit, was initiated by Dr. Evans and carried out in partnership with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. It recognized the contribution of Omer and his family to international advocacy.
“We are family and Omer is like a son to me,” Evans said, adding that the Friends of Zion Heritage Center supported Omer's parents throughout the ordeal. “To me, Omer symbolizes the greatness of Israel because he never lost his faith in God.”
Omer said, “I stand here before you humbled by this award and the honor bestowed upon me by Friends of Zion. I would never have imagined two and a half years ago that I would be in Jerusalem today, free, alive, and surrounded by light. It is a blessing and I thank God for it every moment.”
“Faith is what kept me alive and allowed me to live even when everything around me tried to take life away from me. Every Friday I made Kiddush and longed for the next Shabbat at home. Shabbat became something pure, a reminder of who we are and that even in captivity our souls remain free.
“I chose life and came to understand that the human spirit has an inexplicable strength. When everything was taken from me, I discovered there are things no one can take from you: your faith, your values, and the strength to keep living and to move forward.”
Thanking Dr. Evans for his efforts on behalf of his release and for standing by his parents during the most difficult time of their lives, Omer added, “Your support for my parents meant more than words can express. You stood with us not only as someone who cares, but as a friend. Your voice, your compassion, and your persistence taught us that there are people all over the world praying for us and believing we would return. Thank you for your strength, for your love, and for being a true Friend of Zion and a true friend of mine. Friends of Zion around the world are so important because you stand with us and remind us that light is stronger than darkness.”
“I have taken upon myself a mission, to raise my voice around the world, to be the voice of those who cannot speak, to remind the world that no matter how dark a place you are in, faith can bring light. I will do everything in my power to ensure that the last of the hostages returns home. And I want to say thank you to President Donald Trump, because without him I would not be standing here today speaking to you and sharing my story. He is the real reason I came home, and so did every hostage who was held in captivity.”
Twelve hundred people rose to their feet and applauded Omer for a long time.