Nova Festival Survivors Who Met on October 7 Forge Lifelong Bond
Three Nova festival survivors who met by chance during the October 7 massacre formed an unbreakable bond after escaping together in a tiny car under heavy fire.
Three Nova festival survivors who met during the October 7 massacre have shared their story of survival, solidarity, and an enduring bond forged under fire.
A Fateful Meeting Under Fire
On October 7, Omer Leshem (25) and the couple Ronald Rosenfeld (30) and Daniel Yechiel (29) arrived at the Nova music festival with different groups of friends. By the morning of the massacre, they did not know each other.
When the rocket barrage began at 6:29 AM, Omer and his friends sought shelter. Separated from his group, Omer found himself alone near the festival grounds. Spotting a small Hyundai i10 in the parking lot, he opened the door and climbed into the back seat, seeking temporary shelter.
Inside the car were Ronald and Daniel. Shortly after he entered, Daniel uttered a sentence that Omer still remembers: "I don't want to die with people I don't know. So what are your names?" Under heavy gunfire, the three introduced themselves.
Escape Through Route 232
Realizing they had to escape on their own, Ronald took the wheel, Daniel navigated using her phone, and Omer directed traffic from the back seat. Despite coming under fire and sustaining tire damage, they managed to reach Route 232 and escape toward Kibbutz Saad.
"I don't define Omer as a friend. I define him as family. From that moment, we became family," Ronald said.
An Enduring Bond
In the months following the massacre, the trio created a WhatsApp group named "Hyundai i10 Empire." Today, Omer actively advocates for Nova survivors and terror victims, participating in Knesset discussions and working with welfare authorities, while maintaining a close-knit family bond with Ronald and Daniel.
