Natalie Sanandaji: “The students understand that antisemitism is still very much present today, just as it was during the Holocaust, and that it’s up to them to help combat it.”
Uriel Berman: “I am so beyond excited to March with Natalie and hear more from her.”
Natalie Sanandaji, the daughter of an Israeli mother and an Iranian father, lives in New York. In October 2023, she traveled to Israel to attend a wedding. Just days later, she joined friends at the Nova Music Festival—one of the hardest-hit sites during the Hamas massacre on October 7th.
“We woke up to the sound of rockets and gunfire and got into our car. The traffic was terrible, and we were told to leave the vehicles and start running. I ran for hours. People who stopped and hid in ditches or bushes were murdered. Luckily, a civilian I owe my life to rescued us with his car. He picked us up and dropped us off in a safe place and went back to save more people. His name is Moshe Saati. Without him, I wouldn’t have survived.”
In the weeks following the massacre, Natalie joined the Combat Antisemitism Movement (CAM) and has since traveled the world, sharing the story of the Nova massacre. She participated in the 2024 March of the Living as part of the October 7th victims’ delegation, sponsored by the Menomadin Foundation.
Reflecting on her experience, Natalie shared:
“As a Nova survivor, I flew to Poland for the March of the Living for the first time in my life. I felt an immense amount of emotion that I had never experienced before. As a survivor of the Nova Festival massacre, being able to march with survivors of the Holocaust reminded me that though we have lost some battles, we will not lose the war. And by the war, I don’t mean this specific war between Hamas and Israel—I mean the war of antisemitism against the Jews that has been going on for centuries. Being at the March of the Living gave me more energy to fight back, to tell the story of the survivors, and to speak on behalf of all those murdered at the festival.”
This week, Natalie met with a group of students from the March of the Living Southern Region USA, a program of the Jewish Federation of South Palm Beach County. She will be marching alongside them in Poland this April.
“As a survivor of the Nova festival, I shared my testimony from October 7th and spoke about everything I’ve been doing since then to fight antisemitism. The conversation with the students left me so impressed. These young people truly grasp the significance of ‘Never Forget.’ They understand that antisemitism is still very much present today, just as it was during the Holocaust, and that it’s up to them to help combat it. Proud to see the next generation stepping up to the challenge.”
Uriel Berman, one of the students preparing for this year’s March, expressed his admiration:
“Natalie’s strength, dignity, and being was beyond inspiring. She touched on her experiences from October 7th that we could not possibly understand but also touched on being a Jew in 2025, which we can all relate to. I am so beyond excited to be with her on the March and hear more from her. It was an amazing privilege.”
Another student, Jessie Fele, shared:
“Natalie’s story was very immersive, and it was interesting hearing and interacting firsthand with someone who had to go through such a horrible thing. Yet, I’m glad she was able to share with us—it was very inspirational.”
Stephanie Nicole, Director of March of the Living Southern Region USA said: “We first met Natalie during last year’s March of the Living in Poland, where she shared her powerful story with us. When we learned she’d be visiting South Florida, we knew we had to give this year’s participants the opportunity to hear her testimony. Natalie didn’t just recount her experiences; she also inspired us with her ongoing efforts to combat antisemitism and promote understanding. Her courage and resilience continue to remind us of the importance of standing together as a community.”
This April, at the 2025 March of the Living, a delegation of October 7 victims sponsored by Menomadin Foundation, will attend the program and meet with March of the Living groups from around the world.
