Don't Let Them Forget
The barrage of news is relentless. Major media. Social media. Each day seems to begin and end the same way. A quick review of the major sources of information about the ongoing war, the latest casualties. The fighting in Rafah. Hezbollah’s most recent attacks, and Israel’s counterattacks. This primary news is buffeted by the evolving reactions – from the White House, the UN, the Arab world, and the continuing proliferation of protests and demonstrations – demeaning and demonizing Israel, while seemingly applauding Hamas.
The passage of time increasingly makes what’s happening today the story. The fallout of war. A presidential campaign. The barrage of images. Protesters, pundits, and prognosticators.
It’s far too easy to forget how we got here. Which is why it is incumbent upon us to remember – and not just casually, but by way of a systematic and methodical commitment to assuring that the story is never half told. But how? Sure, we can blog, post, and disseminate but we need the tools. Not long ago I wrote about one remarkable tool, Sheryl Sandberg’s moving documentary about the sexual violence perpetrated against innocent Israelis on October 7 – Screams Before Silence.
This past Monday I had the opportunity to experience another.
The Supernova festival took place in the western Negev desert, approximately 5 km from the Gaza-Israel border, near kibbutz Re’im, Israel, from October 6 to 7, 2023. The event organizer, Nova (also referred to as Tribe of Nova) was the Israeli edition of the Universo Paralello festival, a now international phenomenon which traces its origins to Bahia, Brazil 23 years ago.
According to a Rolling Stone Magazine article published on October 15, 2023,
“The gathering promised to be the highlight of the year, especially for those who loved psychedelic trance, or psytrance, the intense and celestial dance-music subgenre. “[The music] is based on a philosophy of life,” says veteran British DJ Martin Freeland, who performs as Man With No Name and was scheduled for late Saturday morning [October 7, 2023]. “It’s Woodstock with electronic music. It’s that kind of mentality: a hippie culture, but the music is different. These are the sweetest people. They would never harm anybody.”
“Between 3,000 and 4,000 attendees flocked to an open-air space in Israel’s Negev Desert – about three miles from the Gaza border – where 16 DJs from around the world were set to spin in darkness and light for 15 hours straight. The event was timed to the end of Sukkot, a weeklong celebratory Jewish holiday commemorating the harvest and the period after [the] Israelites were freed from slavery in Egypt.”
For the thousands who took part, all was right with the world as the sun rose above the horizon – music filled the air, and revelers filled the dance floor beneath colorful flags, and banners celebrating peace and love. An air of anticipation prevailed – with hours of music, dancing and love in the offing.
We know what happened next. First the Tzeva Adom (red alert) owing to the barrage of incoming missiles from Gaza – and then a growing panic as terrorists descended on the site – in trucks and through the air. Armed with automatic weapons, hand grenades and RPGs, they blocked escape routes and launched a sickening assault. Bursts of gunfire tore into the fleeing crowd of young people. Cars were strafed and set ablaze with occupants still inside. Those who tried to flee to the safety of concrete shelters intended as a haven from rocket attacks found themselves trapped – and easy prey for merciless grenade assaults followed by machine gun fire intended to finish off survivors.
We know about the ensuing savagery. About the executions. The torture. The rapes. We know from the heartbreaking testimonies of survivors and first responders, from rescuers and family members. We know from the videos proudly taken and posted by the murderers and rapists themselves – euphorically broadcasting their triumphs in the name of Islam and Allah. We know.
We know, but we begin to forget in the face of the latest news, images, and commentary.
So, while we struggle with the implications of a war fought in urban settings, settings which, by definition, result in civilian casualties, and as we attempt to find a modus vivendi with outspoken supporters of Hamas and their legions of rationalizers on campus, in the media and in the public square, we would be wise to remember the picture as it was on October 6.
When the revelers gathered at Re’im for the Nova Festival that Friday – a longstanding cease-fire was in place. Growing numbers of Palestinians from Gaza were receiving permits to enter Israel for work and to access the healthcare system. The residents of the Gaza Envelope were championing coexistence, ardent believers in the prospects for a permanent peace. U.S. National Security Advisor, Jake Sullivan, in remarks delivered at The Atlantic Festival just 8 days earlier had proclaimed that “The Middle East region is quieter today than it has been in two decades”.
Everything that followed resulted from the Hamas invasion – and Hamas and its supporters in Gaza, Lebanon, Qatar, Turkey and above all Iran bear responsibility for the harm that has befallen so many, Israelis and Palestinians alike.
It is, at times, a challenge to keep all that in mind and make sure that others do as well. It helps to hear from those who were there on October 7 – in their own words. It helps to see what they saw. To understand the setting and the context of the slaughter, the perversion and the depravity. We’re fortunate to have another opportunity to do just that.
The Nova Music Festival Exhibition originated in Tel Aviv and has come to New York City. Visitors are invited to learn about and understand the nature of the festival and the people who came to share in its message of peace and friendship. Then, a combination of audio and video testimonies – many taken on mobile phones amidst the slaughter itself – and physical objects including clothing and camping supplies, burned out cars and catering equipment, tents, flags and canopies, together tell the tale and provide a glimpse into the experience.
As does the wall of 370 beautiful faces – faces of the slaughtered. Voices of survivors are joined by those of the dead – and it seemed to me that together they were screaming at the top of their lungs – Don’t let them forget me!
We owe it to them. We owe it to their families. We owe it to the hostages and to their families on this the 226th day of their bestial captivity. We owe it to the State of Israel, and we owe it to ourselves. This nightmare began with Hamas and real healing can only begin when Hamas has been defeated, our security restored, and our people returned home.
The Nova Music Festival Exhibition in New York has been extended through June 16 and tickets are just a dollar. Word is that it will then move on to Los Angeles and after that, Miami. Go see it! Bring your friends, colleagues, and neighbors. Hear the voices and lend yours to the cause of justice. And when the topic of Israel and the war comes up – don’t let them forget how it began, and who is responsible.