An exhibition commemorating the tragic events of the Oct. 7 Nova Music Festival massacre has arrived in New York City, offering a poignant and immersive experience for visitors.
Tomer Meir, a 21-year-old who had just completed his two-year service as a medic in the Israel Defense Forces’ paratrooper division, attended the festival with 13 friends in Re’im, southern Israel.
For Meir, it was a first-time experience of such magnitude. He described the psytrance festival as a blissful celebration of life, filled with dancing, laughter, and smiles. However, the jubilation was abruptly shattered at 6:29 a.m. on Saturday when Hamas militants launched a deadly attack, leaving 364 festival-goers dead and at least 40 hostages taken.
Debuted in Tel Aviv, brought to New York
Six months later, Meir finds himself in New York, participating in an interactive exhibit titled “October 7th, 06:29AM,” which aims to facilitate healing for survivors like himself. The exhibition, originally debuted in Tel Aviv, has been brought to New York with the assistance of Scooter Braun, a prominent Jewish-American music producer and philanthropist.
The New York iteration of the exhibit is described as even more intense, featuring additional elements such as video testimonies from survivors and raw footage captured during the attack. Survivors like Meir are present at the exhibit daily, sharing their harrowing stories and answering questions from visitors.
The purpose
The goal of the exhibit extends beyond mere remembrance; it aims to raise awareness about the indiscriminate nature of such atrocities and to offer solace to those affected. Meir emphasizes the importance of understanding that such horrors could happen to anyone, irrespective of nationality or background.
Addressing concerns about politicization, the creators stress that the Nova Music Festival was an international event, transcending political boundaries. The exhibit seeks to highlight the festival’s ethos of love, peace, and acceptance, emphasizing its universal appeal.
Upon entering the exhibit, guests are immersed in the vibrant atmosphere of the festival before the tragedy unfolded. Screens scattered throughout the rooms display videos taken during the chaos, providing a visceral experience of the terror that gripped the festival grounds.
Every item in the exhibit, from dirt and debris to personal belongings left behind, was collected directly from the Nova site, adding to its authenticity and poignancy.
A “Lost & Found” section allows visitors to connect with the memories of those lost, while a memorial honours the victims and hostages of the massacre.
Ticket information
The exhibit, located at 23 Wall Street, will be open to the public from April 21 to May 25. Tickets are available with a minimum donation of $1, with proceeds supporting the Nova Healing Journey initiative, providing therapy and mental health treatments for survivors and their families.
As visitors progress through the exhibit, they are led to a “healing space” filled with light and hope, symbolizing the resilience of the human spirit.
On one wall, a simple yet powerful message resonates: “We will dance again.”
For Meir and others, Nova represents not only a tragic chapter in their lives but also a beacon of hope and resilience. As Meir reflects, “Nova is hope, helping each other, always smiling, and taking care of each other. I wish to spread that hope all my life.”
