Omer Shem Tov, one of the six hostages freed on Saturday, began observing the Sabbath while alone in Hamas captivity, his mother said Sunday.

His childhood friend, Itay Regev, who, together with his sister Maya were with him before being freed in the first hostage deal seven weeks into the war, had spoken out before about how “one of the things we all missed the most was the Kiddush Friday night,” a benediction said over wine or grape juice at the start of the Sabbath meal.

“Since he was a small boy, Omer was the one who said the kiddush,” his mother, Shelly, recalled.