October 7 Nova festival survivor reunites with civilian rescuer

With the help of the Combat Antisemitism Movement, one October 7th survivor was able to thank the person who helped save her life.

 Pictures of the participants of the Nova party who were murdered and kidnapped by the terrorist organization Hamas on October 7, 2023 are displayed at the site of the Nova music festival massacre, in Re'im, near the Israeli-Gaza border, November 28, 2023 (photo credit: YONATAN SINDEL/FLASH90)
Pictures of the participants of the Nova party who were murdered and kidnapped by the terrorist organization Hamas on October 7, 2023 are displayed at the site of the Nova music festival massacre, in Re'im, near the Israeli-Gaza border, November 28, 2023
(photo credit: YONATAN SINDEL/FLASH90)

Two months after making a harrowing escape to safety from the October 7 Nova Music Festival massacre, tourist Natalie Sanandaji returned to Israel and reunited with the man who saved her life. Last week, Sanandaji was reunited with Moshe Sati, the man responsible for saving her life and helping her evacuate the festival.

Sati, a father of four, dropped everything on the morning of October 7 to aid in mass evacuating survivors from the Re'im-based Nova Music Festival. He arrived with his truck, saved people like Sanandaji, and met her when she returned to Israel.

"If it wasn't for Moshe, I wouldn't be here today," said Sanandaji. "I will never be able to repay him. for what he did that day, but I will spend the rest of my life honoring him by not letting the world forget about the innocent people who were murdered that day, and the antisemitism that fueled it."

Making something good out of tragedy

Following the massacre, Sanandaji returned to the United States. She quickly joined the Combat Antisemitism Movement (CAM) to serve the group's purpose; to fight against the same hate that Hamas thrives on. Now, she serves as a public affairs officer for CAM. 

View of cars destroyed by Hamas terrorists during the October 7 massacre, at a field near the Israel-Gaza border, November 26, 2023 (credit: YOSSI ZAMIR/FLASH90)
View of cars destroyed by Hamas terrorists during the October 7 massacre, at a field near the Israel-Gaza border, November 26, 2023 (credit: YOSSI ZAMIR/FLASH90)

She was not alone on her journey back to Israel. She was joined by Sacha Roytman Dratwa, the CEO of the Combat Antisemitism Movement.  “For 16 hours non-stop, Moshe saved lives," said Roytman Dratwa. "After rescuing all the survivors, he went into the heart of the chaos to help the wounded who couldn’t escape.

"His wife shared that Moshe was so affected by what he witnessed, he couldn’t speak for 2 hours, not a single word. Even now, he refuses to discuss what he saw, not wanting to shake people’s belief in the goodness of humanity. Even if Moshe has trouble talking about what he did, CAM will not let his heroism be forgotten and it will never fail to stand up to antisemitism in the Middle East, the United States, and anywhere else Jews face hatred.”