British singer Boy George visited the Nova Festival massacre site near Kibbutz Re’im on Tuesday, joining Sylvan Adams, President of the World Jewish Congress Israel, for a meeting with survivors, former hostages and bereaved families.
The visit included a private tour of the site and a press conference attended by representatives of the Tribe of Nova Community Association, Nova festival co-founders and members of Boy George's management team. The gathering focused on remembering those murdered on October 7, 2023, and supporting survivors and families rebuilding their lives following the attack.
Boy George is visiting Israel at Adams' invitation ahead of two concerts at Tel Aviv's Menora Mivtachim Arena, scheduled for November 4 and November 7. The performances are being produced by Live Nation Israel. The first concert has sold out, while the November 7 show will be dedicated to the Nova community under the banner "We Will Dance Again."
At Boy George's request, Adams, in partnership with the Museum of Tolerance Jerusalem, donated 1,500 tickets for the November 7 concert. The tickets were transferred to the Tribe of Nova Community Association for distribution among survivors and bereaved families.
Boy George's connection to the Nova community began in London, where he encountered testimonies from survivors and families at the Nova 06:29 exhibition. Their stories prompted him to write "We Will Dance Again," a song released earlier this year in solidarity with the Jewish people and in memory of those murdered at the festival.
Speaking at the press conference, Boy George described what motivated him to speak out following the October 7 attack and the antisemitism he witnessed afterward.
“I saw what happened on October 7, and it horrified me. What horrified me more was hearing people who had no connection to what happened telling me it wasn’t true, that it was made up. I was getting messages from Jewish friends in London saying they didn’t feel safe, that they felt uncomfortable wearing their Star of David. My Jewish friends are my family, and you protect your own family. I couldn’t just sit there and do nothing,” he said.
“Writing ‘We Will Dance Again’ wasn’t about making my career better. It was about what I felt deeply inside. For me, the most important line is: ‘If you’re ever confused, I stand with the Jews.’ I feel odd being thanked for doing what’s just normal. Music should make people feel safe, celebrated, and like they belong. That’s the music I want to make.”
Adams, whose parents were Holocaust survivors, addressed the significance of the visit amid growing international antisemitism and calls to boycott Israel.
“As the son of Holocaust survivors, I grew up with the words Never Again. I never imagined that, in my lifetime, we would once again witness the mass murder of Jews simply because they were Jews. October 7 reminded us that Never Again cannot simply be a slogan. It must be a commitment,” he said.
“At a time when too many international artists have chosen to boycott Israel or remain silent in the face of antisemitism, you chose to come. You used your voice and your international platform to stand with the Jewish people, despite the threats and boycotts. That takes courage. And moral clarity.”
Adams also connected Boy George's music and the upcoming concert to the values challenged by the October 7 attack.
“You have spent your career celebrating individuality, freedom, and the right of every person to be themselves. These are values we share, and precisely the values the terrorists who attacked this festival sought to destroy. Your concert in Tel Aviv on November 7, dedicated to the Nova community, is much more than a performance. When you take the stage, it will be a declaration that terror will never have the final word.”
On October 7, 2023, Hamas-led terrorists attacked the Nova music festival near Kibbutz Re'im in southern Israel, where thousands had gathered to dance and listen to music. More than 360 people were murdered and dozens were kidnapped to Gaza. The site has since become a place of remembrance, with memorials bearing the names and photographs of those killed.
The press conference was moderated by Nova survivor and former hostage Omer Shem Tov, who was abducted from the festival and held in Gaza for 505 days.
Boy George, the Culture Club frontman known for hits including "Karma Chameleon" and "Do You Really Want to Hurt Me," has spent decades performing for audiences brought together by music. His connection to the Nova community developed after learning about the festivalgoers and the events of October 7 through the London exhibition.
The visit to Re'im followed a series of engagements in Jerusalem on November 2. Accompanied by Adams, Boy George visited the Western Wall and prayed for peace, met President Isaac Herzog and First Lady Michal Herzog alongside former hostage Elkana Bohbot, and toured the Museum of Tolerance Jerusalem's "06:29 – From Darkness to Light" exhibition.
Adams has spent much of the past decade bringing international sporting and cultural events to Israel, seeking to connect international audiences with the country and its people. Boy George's visit is part of those efforts.