Oct. 7 and After: How Nova Music Festival survivors are reclaiming their lives following terrorist attack

On Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas terrorists violently invaded Israel, killing over 1,200 Israelis. The Nova Music Festival, which took place near the Israeli border with Gaza, was an early target of the brutal Hamas massacre and left hundreds dead and countless more injured and fleeing for their lives.

This series of interviews is dedicated to spotlighting the stories of resilience of those individuals who were at the Nova festival on that day and endured the trauma of Oct. 7, 2023, as they rebuild their lives.

NAME | Sivan Simcha Cohen
AGE | 31
HOMETOWN | Ramat Gan

What I was doing before Oct. 7, 2023

I worked in television and film production. I was in a relationship and engaged to be married. I loved traveling the world, dancing, and singing and was surrounded by good friends.

What I remember about Oct. 7

I worked as an operations manager overseeing 80 security guards, alongside my partner, Yaniv Serudi, who worked as the logistics manager. After helping the wounded near the party area, we took seven partygoers in our vehicle toward the Gaza Division base—nine people in total. On the way, we encountered four terrorist units. I was shot in the leg, and Yaniv was hit by three bullets, but he kept driving.

After waiting for 10 hours, lying alone in a room on a military base—with a fracture and a crack in my leg, under heavy fire— soldiers evacuated me on their shoulders to the hospital from the base and applied a tourniquet.

The first days and weeks felt like a living nightmare, filled with confusion, anger, and uncertainty about what would happen to my leg.

But above all, I experienced unbearable grief for my partner and fiancé, who was murdered in front of my eyes. He saved my life—and paid with his own.

How I am healing

I surround myself with friends who also went through the hell of the massacre. Lots of retreats, healing evenings, and psychological therapy. Community days and trips. My family helps, supports, and is always behind me.

What are my dreams?

I want to help people and to create change in my world, and then in the world of others. I want to spread the message of a better life. We are the younger generation, and we will move mountains.

What is one thing we should know about the Nova survivor community?

Our lives were shattered on Oct. 7, and we’re still picking up the pieces. It will take us decades to heal. There are young people here who have to rebuild themselves after witnessing their friends being murdered and after being wounded—physically and emotionally.

This is the second Holocaust, because the war isn’t over. There are still hostages to bring home. Rockets from every direction. Soldiers are still fighting and falling for our country.

NAME | Shani Hadar
AGE | 36
Hadera, Israel

What I was doing before Oct. 7, 2023

I was and still am a single mother of a teenage daughter and work as an independent fitness trainer. I had a healthy and toned body and a happy life that I managed to build all by myself.

Shani Hadar before the Nova Music festival terror attackTribe of Nova

What I remember about Oct. 7

The darkest day in the history of the State of Israel, Saturday morning, I slept for 3 hours and got ready to leave early in the morning. I am one of those people who likes to arrive at sunrise.

At the last minute, my friend Alex decided to join. We were scheduled to leave at 4:30 a.m. in the morning, and as planned, we arrived at 6:20 a.m. exactly, at sunrise.

We parked the car, got out, and said hello to Alex’s friend, DJ (Kido) Matan Elmalem, who played at the party at 3:00am in the morning. We hugged him and started to hear explosions in the sky. We raised our heads and saw shooting from every direction and explosions. At first I was not at all scared and praying that the party would continue. I felt safe in my country!

Then, the music stopped and a loud voice was heard saying “The audience is asked to leave through the emergency exits.”

We realized that the party was over and Matan, urged us to get back in the car. We hurried to the car to avoid a traffic jam at the exit.

We passed a van that was at the entrance, turned left towards Highway 323 and arrived at the Mefalsim crossing. We passed a vehicle that in retrospect, turned out to have been a terrorist who hadn’t yet had time to get out of their car.

In front of me, I noticed 2 vehicles swerving to the side and didn’t understand what was happening.

Alex said, “Shani, stop, let’s lie down on the floor.” I stopped on the side of the road, got out of the vehicle toward the back, came to lie down on the road, until I saw a terrorist behind me running onto the road with a Kalashnikov in his hand. I understood right away! I screamed at Alex, “Get in the car!”

While getting up, my mind raced. I got into the car, put on the brake, raised my head to start driving, and saw a jeep 100 meters in front of me, from which 10-15 terrorists (I hadn’t noticed them before) get out.

They ran in a line and blocked the path. For a split second, I realized that there was no going forward or back! Looking to the left, across the road, I noticed an agricultural area that, miraculously, was not fenced! I cut left, went up to the area, and pressed the gas as hard as I could. Shooting started.

Alex said: “Shani don’t stop!” Suddenly a boom. I felt a giant fireball in my shoulder. I had been shot.

Alex screamed, “Shani don’t stop, don’t stop” With my left hand I held the steering wheel and continued until I reached the end of the area. There was a path that separated into another area and there was nowhere to go.

I stopped and we got out of the car.

I asked Alex to spread out a mat, and I spilled out on the ground. A torn shoulder, endless blood, but I was afraid to scream because they might find us. The shooting all around continued.

Overhead, missiles and explosions. It was 7:30 a.m. in the morning, and there was still reception. I called my sister and managed to tell her that I had been shot by a terrorist and needed to be rescued. I managed to send her my location as well

Alex called Matan and told him I was injured and we were trying to send a location.

At the same time, we called Israel’s emergency service and the police, who still did not seem to understand the magnitude of the situation. We were given initial instructions to make a tourniquet and told to save phone battery, to try and stay calm, and to wait for rescue.

Alex also gave Matan our location, and he tried to update the police officers next to him in the police station at the party area about what was happening.

We placed another call to Israeli emergency services and the police, begging for assistance, but the magnitude of the incident had been revealed, and they told us that Israel had been infiltrated.

“You are in a fire zone, there are hundreds of terrorists, and the rescue teams are not allowed in,” they said.

Less than an hour later, we tried to call Matan again. But this time he whispered, “There are terrorists here, I can’t talk.” We would later learn that Matan was murdered.

I remember thinking, “What do we do? There is no water, I am losing blood from my shoulder, and all the cuts caused by the shrapnel.”

I was unable to move and in immense pain.

I prayed to God to survive and be rescued soon.

At 2:00 p.m., I could hear a buzzing sound and noticed a drone in the sky, I waved to it, sure it was the Israel Defense Forces, but it turns out to have been a terrorist drone.

After a few minutes of shooting in our direction, I was sure they were coming (it turns out they sent a sniper), the drone saw that we were alive and wanted to confirm the kill.

Alex and I thought it was the end of us. We hugged and cried while shouting “Shema Yisrael” and “Shir lamalot” while the shooting continued. I told Alex to lie down under the car while I played dead.

I put my head down and waited for the “boom.” I prayed to die quickly. I closed my eyes and stopped breathing – and suddenly – silence. It definitely helped, the shooting in our direction stopped. But the exchange of fire around continued all the time.

There was no phone reception and I had to pee. I couldn’t feel my tailbone anymore. Blood splashes from a splinter in my neck and falls onto my chest, and the fear paralyzes me.

At 4 p.m. we were able to reach emergency services and they say no one is coming. They tell us that we are in a war. There are no forces, many are wounded and terrorists are everywhere..

While Alex is talking to a policeman, I notice a figure walking on the horizon not very far from me. I yell at Alex that I see someone, she tells the policeman and he answers with the sentence that shook us to our core: “Listen, you have two options, either take a risk and stay in the area or take a risk and try to save yourselves, get in the car and get out of there.”

That’s what we did. Alex helped me roll into a car that looked like a murder scene. Pieces of skin and muscle were everywhere. But we realized that we had no choice.. It was time to get out. There was less shooting around, and we realized that it was better to try to get out than die in the area.

We drove on the path out of the area and reached the road.

Miraculously, we eventually came across a military vehicle and an intensive care vehicle. Alex screamed, “Save me, I have a gunshot wound,” and they realized that we were women. They ran straight to get me out of the car.

Alex and I screamed for our lives. We had made it to safety.

We couldn’t believe we survived the inferno. We fought against all odds to not give in to the fear.

I fought to stay awake and conscious until we arrived at Hadassah Hospital in Jerusalem, where I lost consciousness and was put into the operating room. Since then, I have undergone 4 surgeries and a shoulder replacement.

I have since learned to cope with a serious injury and disability.

But thank God, I am here, breathing and alive.

We have been given life again.

How I am healing

I spent a lot of time in rehabilitation away from my daughter, 6 months in a full hospital and another 7 months in a day hospital. I received support from wonderful people and donors who came from all over the world to help. The Nova tribe community that organizes a therapeutic space and community days, support groups and of course the desire to rehabilitate my daughter and give her faith that everything is possible.

What are my dreams?

To be able to grow from the trauma and engage in activities that I love and that will contribute to others such as fitness and personal motivation. To be happy and whole despite the severe injury and physical limitation that will accompany me for life.

What is one thing we should know about the Nova survivor community?

The Nova Tribe community in Israel has always been made up of people who are immensely kind, caring, and have love for everyone. We left the house to celebrate love and found ourselves running away from hate. Enough with the violence! Enough with the hate! Take a deep breath and go dance. This is us!

NAME | Tal Ben-Dror
AGE | 32
HOMETOWN | Rishpon, Israel

What I was doing before Oct. 7, 2023

I have been working at a high-tech company for 3 years. I love music and also play the piano. I love listening to live music, going to parties outdoors, and traveling. The ocean is a place that always does my soul good. I’m a daughter of amazing parents and a sister of two wonderful sisters. I love my family very much.

What I remember about Oct. 7

I arrived at the party with 14 other friends, some of us arrived by shuttle, including myself, and some arrived by car. I was on the dance floor when I saw the missiles, and went to the camping area with my friends to start packing. We got on the shuttle and heard gunshots. We fled on foot for 3 hours until we were rescued by Midburn Festival producers who came to set up in the area, and they took us to the Tal-Or farm. We hid at the farm for 7 hours, and when we realized that no one would come to rescue us, we fled with the producers’ vehicles to the center of Israel. Tragically, our friend Sharona was murdered, and Sohaib, the driver of the shuttle, was also murdered.

Nova Music Festival Survivor Tal Ben-DrorTribe of Nova

How I am healing

It helps me to go to the Nova community days and be with my friends. I started psychological therapy right after the NOVA tragedy using the EMDR method, and the therapy has helped me a lot. Giving lectures and sharing my story also helps me. I have lectured and been interviewed in Israel and around the world, and I will also share my story at the Nova Exhibition in Toronto.

What are my dreams?

My main dream is that our hostages will return home in peace. I also dream of turning my pain into strength that will help me and other people and give and receive inspiration as well. I hope to find peace with myself and live in a world of peace and love.

Nova Music Festival Survivor Tal Ben-Dror at a memorial eventTribe of Nova

What is one thing we should know about the Nova survivor community?

Our community represents, to me, the values ​​of friendship, freedom, love, and unconditional acceptance. On that dark day, I saw the evil of humanity, but also the good in people, thanks to people from this community and beyond. We will not stop dancing, and I am proud to be part of this community of amazing people who have been through the worst and are still here to stay.

NAME | Alona Nnachmani
AGE | 24
HOMETOWN | Jerusalem, Israel

What I was doing before Oct. 7

I lived in Kibbutz Nir David with my partner while guiding the community’s youth group. In my free time, I created ceramics and danced. I also went to parties, went out with friends, studied, and read books.

What I remember about Oct. 7, 2023

I arrived happy and excited for my first trance party. I came with seven friends and we were all so happy and had a great time. One of the friends was confined to a wheelchair because he had broken his leg in an accident a month before the event. He was unwilling to skip the festival, and we promised to help him.

Tribe of Nova

We left the party at 7 a.m. the morning of the attack and got stuck in traffic. We tried to get into a shelter in front of Kibbutz Re’im, but there was no room and we saw a lot of people running and climbing into the kibbutz over the gate.

Because of my friend’s injury, we couldn’t all get in, despite the danger we knew awaited us, so we decided to choose to stay together as a group. Eventually, we continued to the shelter at the Urim gas station and hid there until we were eventually rescued.

How am I healing

Meeting with my psychologist is constructive. I have to work at it each day. The project in the secret forest in Cyprus was when I realized that I had to take care of myself and not give up on who I was before the Nova festival.

What are my dreams

My dream is to be myself. To be healthy. To get excited about the little things and never stop feeling joy. To feel that I am choosing life. To fulfill my small dreams on the way to the big ones. To share my story and give hope to others. That our country will continue to exist, that the hostages will return to us, and that our soldiers will fight with courage.

What is one thing we should know about the Nova survivor community?

The light and joy that existed—and still exists—in this community. The love for music. For freedom. For dancing. For smiles. The spontaneity and truth within us, and the pain that we all carry in our hearts — and will carry with us forever.

NAME | Dorit Tau
AGE | 47
HOME | Nahariya, Israel

What I was doing before Oct. 7

I was a person of family, living a communal life and managing two businesses—one focused on therapeutic massage and the other on teaching swimming. I was a person fully immersed in daily routines and, of course, family.

What I remember about Oct. 7, 2023

Before the massacre, I photographed the beautiful and innocent sunset. I arrived with three friends and the partner of one of them, who was taken from us and murdered when some of us were forced to split up. We fled for our lives amidst the horrors and artillery fire directed at us.

Dorit Tau survived the Nova Music Festival massacre during the Oct. 7, 2023 terrorist attacks in Israel.Tribe of Nova

Dorit Tau survived the Nova Music Festival massacre during the Oct. 7, 2023 terrorist attacks in Israel.Tribe of Nova

How am I healing

Conversations with therapists—a psychiatrist and a psychologist—tailored to my needs, have been part of my journey. I studied and trained in the first cohort of mentors in the Nova mentoring program, which will allow me to assist other survivors of the Nova festival tragedy with their own recovery. I have built spaces with my new community and family from Nova. I have experienced moments of pain and small, precious moments of joy and triumph with them. Specialized retreats have also been helpful.

What are my dreams

To succeed in touching the heart of everyone, and for those who do not yet know love, I wish for them to experience tenderness and goodness, even if parts within them require forgiveness. I want to help ease their pain and bring extra hope to all who cross our paths. I aim to return to being a full-time mother to my son, to be an active presence in his life, and to resume working—even if it’s in a slightly different way—providing help to my surroundings and to myself.

What is one thing we should know about the Nova survivor community?

That we are a tribe of love, acceptance, and forgiveness.

Name | Itay Hamer
Age | 27
Home | Tel Aviv

What I was doing before Oct. 7

Before Oct. 7, I worked as a sales and account manager at a sustainability startup. I lived with roommates in Tel Aviv, and enjoyed quality time with friends and family. I would go on trips, to concerts and parties, and the feeling of freedom and the good life was part of my everyday life. Music, connecting with people, and a sense of meaning were central to my life.

What I remember about Oct. 7, 2023

I came to the festival with 9 friends. After half an hour, when we realized that the music would not return, we ran to the car, and from there began a journey of survival that included escape under gunfire and a sense of complete uncertainty. After hours of hiding, two terrorists identified me and fired an RPG missile at me. I managed to escape and be rescued by 2 police officers. I lost six friends that day, two of whom were among the people closest to me.

Itay Hamer with friends at the Nova Music Festival.Tribe of Nova

How am I healing now?

After about six months of attempting to heal and focus on self-care, I began to actively participate in the “Tribe of Nova” foundation’s activities. Since then, I have been engaged in commemoration, testimony, and dialogue. I have found immense strength in sharing and meeting with other survivors. Emotional therapy, lectures, and even traveling abroad with delegations as part of the effort to preserve our story have helped me process, grow stronger, and transform pain into meaning. I feel that combining action with emotion is my way of healing.

What are your hopes and dreams?

My dream is to transform the pain we have experienced into a force that can make an impact. I aspire to continue representing our community both in Israel and globally, to establish initiatives with social value, and to bring healing to myself and others through action. I want to build a meaningful life based on love, purpose, and a deep connection with people.

Itay Hamer at a memorial to the victims of the Nova Music Festival massacre during the Oct. 7, 2023 terrorist attacks in Israel.Tribe of Nova

What is one thing we should know about the Nova survivor community?

The Nova Festival on Oct. 7 is not just a memory of tragedy – it is a testament to the human spirit, to love, and to unity. We are a community of people seeking life, creativity, freedom, and belonging – all of which were cruelly interrupted. Yet, from this devastation, a community has risen that heals, fights for its story, and continues to fight for hope. I want the world to know that we are here to stay, determined to build a different future.

***

NAME | Osher Daniel
AGE | 23
HOME | Hadera, Israel

Who I was before Oct. 7, 2023

Before the seventh of October, I was searching for myself. I worked as a waitress at the beach and as a saleswoman in an event center. I really loved going out to parties and enjoyed my life. My life was filled with the pleasures of parties and friends. I loved my life, but on the other hand, I was terribly lost.

Osher Daniel with friendsTribe of Nova

How I remember Oct. 7

October 7. What I remember. A convoy of colorful vehicles on the way to a party in Gan Eden – fairies, love, music. Then, with the sunrise, everything turned into a nightmare. On the way back, at the Reim intersection, we saw ten terrorists on motorcycles. Shooting. Soldiers lying and bleeding. Somehow, we managed to escape, but at the next junction – bodies and cries for help. There was no choice but to turn back through the terrorists. We drove full gas, gunshots from every direction, the windows shattered, but we didn’t stop.

We tried to reach a nearby kibbutz, but (my friend) Itay caught me just before I got out of the car – terrorists were running towards us. In the traffic jam, people panicked when they saw our car full of bullet holes. I spotted the terrorists again, I shouted for everyone to run. I lost my friends in the run, but my other friend Stav called me to come to her.

We arrived at the party camp, but a moment later terrorists surrounded us. I fled to the tents and found shelter under the main stage, with dozens of people. Blood, tears, complete silence. After two hours, a call was heard to run south. It was the “death run.” People fell one after another.

We tried to hide, but terrorists threw stones at us. When I realized they were holding RPGs, I knew it was time to escape. The phones went dead, and I lost hope. A policeman told me on the phone to dig a hole and hide. I called my mother, crying silently. Finally, I went out with a Muslim guy who had a police location. We walked for ten minutes, which seemed like an eternity. When we reached them, they directed us to an ambulance.

Stav and Assaf were murdered.

I am alive, but the wounds remain deep. Today I understand. I am here to tell, so that we will never forget

How are you doing today? How are you healing?

Osher DanielTribe of Nova

I am an actress today, fulfilling my dreams and finding a lot of healing in this and yoga and meditation. Getting closer to myself and making room for the pain. I am a part of Hebrew community groups and have an amazing therapist and family support.

What are your hopes and dreams?

To be able to heal a broken heart. To make peace with myself and be released from this place of guilt. To develop in the field of entrepreneurship and acting. To learn and develop.

What is one thing we should know about the Nova survivor community?

Osher Daniel at a memorial serviceTribe of Nova

It takes time to heal a broken heart. But we are a people of light and love. And together we are better.

For more information, visit tribeofnova.com. These interviews have been edited for clarity and translated.