On October 7, 2023, as the world watched in horror, Eli Sharabi was dragged from his home at Kibbutz Be’eri and taken hostage by Hamas. For 491 days, he lived in darkness beneath the earth, starved, beaten, chained, and stripped of everything but his will to survive. When freedom finally came, Eli weighed less than 100 pounds — yet his spirit was unbroken.
That spirit has already moved nations. He has spoken before the United Nations, where his testimony laid bare the brutality of captivity and the strength it takes to endure. His memoir, Hostage — already the fastest-selling book in Israeli history — will be released in English on October 7, ensuring that his story of resilience reaches the world.
Eli’s survival came with profound personal loss — his beloved wife, Lianne, and daughters, Noiya and Yahel, were killed in the October 7 attack. Yet even in the face of unimaginable grief, he chooses to speak not from despair, but from courage. He reminds us that even in the darkest of places, hope and humanity can endure. His presence is a living testament to strength, faith, and the responsibility we all share to remember and bear witness.
On Tuesday, October 8, at 7 p.m. at the Eissey Campus Theater at Palm Beach State Collage, the Mandel JCC of the Palm Beaches, in collaboration with Temple Judea, will host Eli Sharabi in conversation with Rabbi Yaron Kapitulnik. This is not simply an event, it is a rare opportunity to sit in the presence of history and to hear a first-hand account of survival and resilience.
Join us on October 8 at 7 p.m. at the Eissey Campus Theater, where Eli Sharabi will share his story of survival, resilience, and hope. Tickets are $36 and include a copy of his memoir Hostage, made possible through the generous support of Eva and Marvin Schlanger.
https://engage.palmbeachstate.edu/event/11548577 or call 561-207-5900
