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Former hostage invites Trump to dance at Oct. 7 memorial concert

The “We Will Dance Again” event will honor victims from the Nova, Mushroom, Psyduck and Midburn festivals and raise rehabilitation funds for survivors.

Mia Shem speaks at a press conference outside the U.N. Security Council in New York on Nov. 6, 2024. Photo courtesy of Israeli Ambassador to the U.N. Danny Danon.
Mia Shem speaks at a press conference outside the U.N. Security Council in New York on Nov. 6, 2024. Photo courtesy of Israeli Ambassador to the U.N. Danny Danon.

The “We Will Dance Again” annual memorial concert organized by the Nova community is set to take place on June 26 at Tel Aviv’s Yarkon Park. The commemoration event aims to raise awareness for the urgent need to support a community composed of bereaved families, survivors, and those who have been released from captivity.

Last year, the Nova tribe community held an emotional musical tribute before an audience of 30,000 people. On Tuesday, organizers announced the upcoming memorial concert, which will honor victims of the Nova, Mushroom, Psyduck, and Midburn events, raise rehabilitation funds for party survivors and families of those murdered, and amplify calls for the return of the remaining hostages.

The concert will feature artists performing unique electronic covers of familiar songs alongside powerful trance segments from the Nova artists’ repertoire. The program includes one-time musical collaborations designed to convey messages of commemoration, strength, and hope.

During her address at the media presentation, former hostage Mia Shem shared her abduction experience and made a direct appeal to U.S. President Donald Trump: “Thank you for everything you’re doing to release the hostages. I invite you to dance with us in Yarkon Park, and celebrate the moment when everyone finally returns home.”

Artists and suppliers for the event have offered preferred pricing with discounts that reflect the event’s humanitarian purpose. All profits from ticket sales and sponsorships will benefit the Nova Tribe Community Association, which provides support, assistance, and rehabilitation services to bereaved families and survivors while working to commemorate those lost in the tragedy.

Omri Sassi will manage the musical content for the concert. As a partner and producer of the Nova Festival, Sassi lost three family members during the Oct. 7 massacre. As part of his healing process, he and his partners created the “6:29” exhibition and are now producing the Nova concert in Yarkon Park for the second consecutive year.

“We are a community connected through music and social values,” Sassi explained, “which is why we’re continuing this tradition with a musical memorial event. At the concert, we will honor those who were murdered, recognize the survivors, and raise the crucial support needed to provide assistance, treatment, and help in returning them to some semblance of normal life, as much as possible.”

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