Amid the many heartbreaking stories following the October 7th attack, there are also stories of strength and resilience. One such story was shared Monday on journalist Sivan Rahav Meir’s Facebook page.
A Survivor Support Group on a Shared Journey
A special group of hundreds of Nova festival survivors, their families, and supporters was formed through the Jewish Connection organization. Together, they are on a journey of healing and unity — celebrating Shabbat and holidays, studying Torah, volunteering, and participating in shared events.
This week, members of the group gathered to bake matzah ahead of Passover. Among them was 24-year-old Shir Peretz, who supports one of the Nova survivors. She is part of the WhatsApp group called “From Nova to Jerusalem.”
He Was Considered Missing for Hours
“Exactly a year after the tragedy,” Sivan wrote, “Shir came on Simchat Torah 5785 to a hotel in Jerusalem for a Nova community event, accompanying her friend — one of the survivors — who had asked for emotional support.”
During the holiday, Shir met Yonadav, who had been considered missing for hours in the chaos following the festival attack, before he was found in a nearby village.
“It’s Thanks to All of You”
“It’s crazy — everything happened so perfectly,” Shir said emotionally this week. “It was a meaningful, powerful, emotional holiday. At the end of it, Yonadav and I exchanged numbers. We decided together to choose life. Just thinking about where we all were last Simchat Torah compared to this year is incredible.”
Shir chose life with her new fiancé, Yonadav Avrahami, 26, a survivor of the Nova festival. In a message she sent to the group this week, she wrote: “We met at the hotel on Simchat Torah this year. It’s all thanks to you. Thank you so much!”
In a photo shared by Sivan Rahav Meir, Shir is seen wearing the engagement ring given to her by Yonadav:
