Ravit Naor spent the afternoon of Oct. 7, 2023, salvaging whatever personal affects she could from the charred bodies of murdered music festivalgoers in Southern Israel. She spent the afternoon of Oct. 4, 2024, telling her story to members of Loyola Hillel during their visit to the Nova Exhibition in Culver City.
The Nova Exhibition is an immersive experience that tells the story of the Nova Music Festival, the peaceful celebration of dancing and EDM that was cut short by Hamas bullets and bombs in the early morning hours of Oct. 7, 2023. Featuring thousands of genuine artifacts from the grounds of the Nova Exhibition, it is a harrowing exhibit that drives home the horror and human cost of the attack.
Jake Pessin ‘25, President of Loyola Hillel, organized the club’s visit to the exhibition alongside Kelly Farland, the club’s faculty moderator.
“What happens to one Jew happens to every Jew,” Pessin said. “As Jews at a Catholic school, it’s especially important to be aware of what’s happening to our community.”
While dozens of survivors tell their stories on the video screens displayed throughout the exhibition, eyewitnesses like Naor are also there in-person to educate attendees. A civilian resident of Southern Israel, she led a volunteer unit that helped Israeli Defense Force police units locate and catalogue personal belongings left behind on the Nova grounds.
She remarked, “The stench of burning bodies wouldn’t leave. It stuck to our souls.”
Many of the artifacts that Naor recovered were on display in the exhibition and she explained their origins to Hillel members.
“This bottle belongs to a 19-year old girl kidnapped into Gaza by Hamas,” said Naor as she pointed to a dented, blue Hydroflask. “She’s still there, a year later.”
Owen McDonald ’25 remarked, “Seeing the artifacts forced me to relate to the conflict in a much more personal way.”
Many Hillel members found the survivors’ stories of perseverance to be a source of strength.
While walking through the exhibit, McDonald began wearing his Star of David chain outside of his shirt, as opposed to underneath it.
“The exhibit made me feel that I needed to embrace and really be proud of my heritage,” he explained. The sentiments of cultural solidarity that McDonald felt were echoed by many of the Hillel members that visited the exhibit.
“Our visit was important because it served as a reminder to the Hillel Club of what our global Jewish community is facing,” Pessin said. “It’s important for us to show solidarity with our brothers and sisters who face the harshest, most violent form of antisemitism in the world. Nova reinforced my desire to be involved with the Jewish community and with Israel in a greater more impactful manner than I do now.”
