Moshe Lavi is an advocate for prioritizing hostage return
On October 7, 2023, sirens wailed in Kibbutz Nahal Oz. Hundreds of Hamas terrorists and their accomplices invaded the kibbutz. They eventually barged into the Miran house and held the family captive for hours in their home and later on in the home of the Idan family.
Omri Miran, 48 years old, a husband and father of two young daughters, was kidnapped from his home. His wife, Lishay Lavi Miran, 40, and their two daughters—Roni (3.5) and Alma (2)— survived the attack. Omri was separated from Lishay, Roni, and Alma and was taken hostage to Gaza with Tsachi Idan, Judith, and Natalie Raanan. Lishay and the girls were rescued by the IDF that evening after enduring unimaginable trauma.
“Omri is just a civilian captured from his home, not a soldier, not a government official,” explained his brother-n-law, Moshe Emilio Lavi. A reservist IDF captain, who moved to New York City in September 2023. “He’s a therapist, a lover of nature and literature, and currently the oldest hostage.”
Lavi, who was born and raised in Sderot on the Israel-Gaza border, works as a management consultant. Since October 7, he has been advocating alongside his sister, Lishay, and Omri’s father, Dani, in Israel, the US, and Europe to bring his brother-in-law Omri and all the hostages home.
“I did not think the advocacy journey would last so long,” said Lavi, who has met with elected officials, diplomats, the traditional and social media, and the wider public for 20 months. He was in southern California to address the Milken Global Conference.
While the Israeli government is trying to being supportive of the hostage families, Lavi said that his sister and her children are still displaced, as are her parents. “My sister, Lishay, is working full-time to try to bring home her husband,” he explained. “Along with other hostage families, she participates in rallies and lobbies at the Knesset.”
He added, “My sister is inspirational. She is a voice for Omri, a voice for all the hostages, and a mother to two kids who long for their father. She has strength, resilience, and determination that Omri’s voice will be part of the conversation.”
Although the family saw a video of Omri several weeks ago, they cannot visit him and have no idea what his mental and physical condition might be. As Lavi said, “The situation is so urgent. He has been deprived of food, water, sanitation, and sunlight.”
Meanwhile, according to Lavi, advocacy is further complicated by the fact that the Israeli government has objectives beyond the return of the hostages. He wants to believe that bringing them home is “a core priority.”
How can people help? Lavi wants everyone in the US to “keep advocating with the administration, Congress, and anywhere else to prioritize bringing home Israeli loved ones.” He wants people to “take to the streets, post on social media, go the events, and talk to policymakers.”
Lavi is part of Bring Omri Home, a dedicated initiative focused on raising awareness and advocating for the safe return of Omri Miran to his family and community from Hamas’ captivity. “Through storytelling, community support, and active engagement, we strive to amplify his story and ensure his voice is heard,” according to the website, https://www.bringomrihome.com/.
Ilene Schneider has been chronicling Jewish life in Orange County for five publications since 1978. She has served as a communications consultant for a number of Jewish organizations. She is a contributing writer to Jlife Magazine.