As many as 1,200 young Jewish professionals joined on Saturday night on Wall Street in New York City to view the Nova exhibit and celebrate the Jewish holiday of Lag B’Omer. The May 26 gathering, organized by the Chabad-Lubavitch movement, was both a celebration of Jewish pride and a testament to resilience in the face of adversity.
The evening opened with the “06:29 a.m.: The Moment Music Stood Still” exhibit, which recounts the terrorist attack at the Nova music festival in southern Israel on Oct. 7. Hamas and other Palestinian operatives infiltrated the border and led a rampage across the desert, killing 364 attendees of the music concert and taking others hostage back into the Gaza Strip, some of whom still remain there in captivity.
The exhibit was brought to New York City by music executive Scooter Braun and tech entrepreneur Joe Teplow, who emphasized the evening’s theme: living life to the fullest in honor of those who cannot.
“This evening, we witnessed the stories of our people who were murdered for their values; tonight is about how we must live for ours. That’s what they would have wanted,” said Teplow.
Musical performances were led by David Farhi, joined by survivors of the Nova tragedy. Tomer Meir and Millet Ben Haim shared their stories and ongoing recovery from the trauma of that day and its aftermath. Proceeds were donated to a foundation created to support the survivors.
Organized by Chabad Young Professionals across Chelsea, Upper East Side and Upper West Side, the event drew on the teachings of the Lubavitcher Rebbe, underscoring the importance of public celebrations of Jewish identity on Lag B’Omer.
Devora Wilhelm, co-director of Chabad Young Professionals Upper East Side, spoke about the power of unity to withstand any darkness. “In times of darkness, the Jewish response has always been to bring more light into the world,” she said. “We cannot allow evil to prevail; adding more unity, love and light is the secret to our survival.”
