Nova music festival survivors bring child into post-Oct 7 world

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Supernova music festival massacre survivors Astar Moshe, 35, and Shlomi Tobi, 37, have welcomed a healthy baby to the world, almost six months to the day following Hamas’s Oct. 7 invasion of southern Israel.

Supernova music festival survivors Astar Moshe, 35, and Shlomi Tobi, 37, with their newborn baby in April 2024. Credit: Rambam Medical Centre.

“The moment came when the delivery-room ID was placed on my hand, right next to my Nova admittance band. Seeing them on my hand, side by side, I started to cry,” said Tobi.

Residents of the Haifa suburbs, the couple arranged for Moshe to give birth at the city’s Rambam Medical Center.

“We could so easily have been one of those who are no longer with us today or one of the hostages waiting to return home,” said Moshe. “Thank God for this treasure we hold in our hands.”

Over 360 people were murdered at the Oct. 7 outdoor event near Kibbutz Re’im—nearly one-third of the 1,200 people killed by Hamas terrorists during their invasion of the northwestern Negev. Many more were wounded, and at least 40 were taken back to Gaza as hostages. There were widespread reports of rape and sexual abuse during the massacre.

“A party that became a defining event,” Moshe recalled.

“We didn’t understand what was happening. We thought it was a code red attack that would soon pass—the usual things. We never imagined such a massacre,” she said.

“You were such a hero, you led us away in a mad dash,” interjected Tobi.

“All I cared about was keeping the treasure in my womb, my partner, and my friendships. We couldn’t look back. There was only death and terror behind us. We had to keep moving forward all the time,” said Moshe.

“There were moments when Shlomi told me, ‘Astar, you’re pregnant, come on, let’s stop, rest a bit,” she continued. “I couldn’t agree to stop for a moment. I told him that if I stopped, I didn’t know if I could continue.”

The two ran 20 kilometres to escape Hamas terrorists, eventually arriving at Moshav Patish, where a family cared for them.

Since then, the couple has faced considerable challenges in returning to their normal routine.

“After going through something like this, it’s not easy to act as though everything is fine,” said Moshe. “The feelings accompany us every moment of every day, but each one has our own defence mechanisms to rely on.”

“We try to see the glass half-full and say ‘thank you’ for being here. If we survived, then we have a role,” emphasized Tobi. “The birth of our child, it feels much bigger than it is. The meaning of a nova is born again. That’s the Nova. There is life after this terrible disaster that took so many righteous people, many of them my friends. There is life after, there is hope, and there is love.”