UJS in partnership with the Jewish Agency for Israel were honoured to facilitate a series of talks last week (19-23 February) by two survivors of the massacre at Nova Festival in southern Israel on 7th October. 

UJS in partnership with the Jewish Agency for Israel were honoured to facilitate a series of talks last week (19-23 February) by two survivors of the massacre at Nova Festival in southern Israel on 7th October. 

Nearly 500 students attended talks in Bristol, Birmingham, Leeds, Cambridge, and London, with students coming from other nearby campuses to hear the testimony of the survivors.  

Hila Fakliro, a bartender at the festival, and Bar Vikler, a producer of the festival, shared their story of escape and survival, hiding in bushes and travelling for 5 hours on foot to safety on the morning of the attack. 

For students and the wider community who were unable to attend the talks this week, a recording of the talk in Bristol is available on the UJS YouTube channel.  

UJS will also be publishing a specially recorded podcast episode of ‘Yalla: The Podcast of Jewish Students’ in the coming weeks featuring Bar and Hila.  

Reflecting on the tour, Adi Peled, UJS Senior Shlicha, said: 

“It is empowering to see so many young British Jews coming to hear the testimony of Bar and Hila. 

We organised this tour from an understanding that the best way to comprehend such difficult and horrific stories is to hear them first-hand from those who were there.  

It was eye-opening and difficult learning about the choices that Hila and Bar had to make in such an awful situation, with little personal control. One of the recurring themes at each event this week has been how students saw themselves in this story and couldn't help but think, “It could have been me.”  

It was an honour for me to take part in organizing this event, and I am excited to see the impact it has had on the students I work with.” 

https://youtu.be/D56TwQXoxVE