Israeli President Addresses Nova Festival Victims' Families

President Isaac Herzog delivered remarks on Wednesday at the memorial ceremony for the victims of the October 7th Nova music festival massacre, held at the Re'im memorial site. He began his speech by quoting Itamar Pereth's poem "Asif," which speaks of gathering memories and the fleeting nature of life.

Addressing the bereaved families, Herzog acknowledged the profound grief and the difficulty of comprehending the "wickedness and barbarity" with which the victims were taken. He noted that even three years later, it remains hard to grasp how the vibrant young people who were dancing were so brutally killed. "The fracture you carry in your hearts will never heal, but the strength of spirit, nobility, and resilience you demonstrate and generate amazes us," he stated.

Herzog expressed deep appreciation for the ongoing efforts to preserve the memorial site and to share the stories of the Nova festival and other communities affected by the atrocities. He extended a hand to survivors seeking healing and continuing their journey to "breathe life back into their spirits" and "insist on returning to dance." He concluded by emphasizing the importance of remembering both the lives lost and those who survived, stating, "May their memory be alive and enduring, blessed and consecrated forever."