Herzliya Square Honors Nova Victims and Hero Uri Danino
Translated & summarized from Ynet by baba
Herzliya inaugurated "Dancing Square" to honor Nova festival victims and Sergeant Major Uri Danino, who saved three survivors before being killed in captivity. Hostage survivors Omer Shem Tov, Mia and Itay Regev attended the ceremony, sharing their experiences and praising Danino's heroism. Danino's father and the Mayor of Herzliya also spoke, highlighting themes of mutual aid and sacrifice. The event marked three years since the October 7th attacks.
The story in 5 lines · by baba
- Herzliya's "Dancing Square" now honors Nova victims and hero Uri Danino, killed in captivity.
- Hostage survivors Omer Shem Tov, Mia and Itay Regev attended the inauguration ceremony.
- Uri Danino saved the three survivors at the Nova festival before being captured by Hamas.
- Uri Danino's father praised the survivors and highlighted his son's bravery and sacrifice.
- Mayor Yariv Fisher emphasized mutual aid and the importance of people like Danino for Israel's survival.
Herzliya's "Dancing Square" was inaugurated on Thursday evening to commemorate the victims of the Nova music festival massacre and Sergeant Major Uri Danino, who was killed in captivity. The ceremony, held three years after the October 7th attacks, was attended by hostage survivors Omer Shem Tov, Mia Regev, and Itay Regev, who were rescued by Danino during the festival. Danino, 25, initially escaped the Nova party with friends but returned to the festival grounds to save Shem Tov and the Regev siblings before being captured by Hamas and murdered.
Rabbi Elhanan Danino, Uri's father, spoke at the event, expressing pride in the survivors and emphasizing Uri's bravery. He noted that Uri had a mission in life that concluded with his death, but not before he ensured the safety of others. "Anyone who called you not Zionists should come and hear from me how much you are," Rabbi Danino stated, addressing the survivors. He also suggested Uri would have been modest about such an honor, but believed he would have approved of the initiative.
Mia Regev shared that the square's dedication felt like a "closing of a circle," remembering her and her brother Itay's efforts to secure Omer and other hostages' freedom. Itay Regev recounted that he, Mia, and Omer did not know Danino before October 7th, but received a call from him saying, "Send me your location and I'll come pick you up." He added that his family said Uri would have done such a thing "seven hundred more times."
Omer Shem Tov, attending the square for the second time, thanked attendees for their support over the years. He described seeing a car similar to Danino's on the way to the ceremony, feeling it was a sign of Uri's continued presence. Herzliya Mayor Yariv Fisher praised the spirit of mutual aid, stating that "people stopped their lives to help" after witnessing the atrocities. He concluded by saying that Israel survives because of people like Uri Danino, wishing everyone could emulate his selflessness.