Survivor from music festival attack in Israel speaks in Gainesville

GAINESVILLE, Fla. (WCJB) - A young man who survived the music festival attack in Israel shared his testimony with the University of Florida Jewish community at Lubavitch Chabad Jewish Student Center.

The event was called the “Faces of October 7th.” Yarin Levin is the 24-year-old who survived the massacre at the Nova Music Festival in Israel. He traveled to Florida from Israel to speak with hundreds of students and share what he witnessed.

“It’s very important for the students, faculty and community to see and hear first-hand of what took place, the terrible atrocities, the terrorism and to put a face to these events,” shared Rabbi Berl Goldman, director of Chabad UF.

What Levin thought was a fun music festival turned into him witnessing and trying to help people who were being killed.

“It’s an experience I wish I would have never been at because I went to a party and came out a survivor and I think that’s the hardest feeling you could feel,” shared Levin.

Around 1,400 people were killed that day. Levin says he will continue to share what he witnessed to bring the Jewish community together and combat the violence against their people.

“Getting the love and support and also the tools to fight back with what I have encountered and also what the Jewish people have encountered here is also something that is giving me strength,” shared Levin, “so the healing process for me right now is speaking.”

Following Levin’s testimony, students asked questions about his experience.

Levin says he hopes this will make people realize that there is hope for the Jewish people because he is still alive and well.