As a long-time supporter and admirer of Sia, this latest act of solidarity and resilience from her truly touched my heart. The Nova Music Festival survivors’ stories resonated deeply with me, as they embody the indomitable spirit that music can instill within us – a spirit that transcends adversity and unites people in the most profound way.
Sia consecrated a rendition of “Titanium” to the survivors of the unfortunate incident at the Nova Music Festival, which occurred during the Hamas attack on Israel in October 2023. This heartfelt tribute was made as part of the Anti-Defamation League‘s In Concert Against Hate event that took place in Washington, D.C., on a Monday evening in 2024.
After performing the song she first recorded with David Guetta, Sia said from the stage of the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, “We’ll dance together again,” as survivors of Nova Festival, Ofir Amir, Danielle Gelbaum, Tomer Meir, and Daniel Dvir joined her following the performance.
When Gelbaum initially presented Sia, he told the Kennedy Center crowd: ‘Her music has granted me the chance to realize I’ll dance once more, and I am dancing now, and this very evening, we’ll dance together.’
At the same event, Eden Golan, Israel’s representative at this year’s Eurovision Song Contest, sang the authentic rendition of “October Rain.” However, in the Eurovision competition, she had sung a revised version of the song called “Hurricane,” as the original lyrics were deemed political and flagged.
Ben Stiller, serving as the event’s host, advocated for hope in countering increasing antisemitism. “Tonight, let’s combat hate with a generous helping of hope,” he said. “This organization and the courageous individuals we are honoring have all shown us that even during the darkest hours, there is always light.” This was Stiller’s message.
Discussing matters with JewishInsider prior to the event on the red carpet, Stiller expressed his concerns about current times as they become increasingly hostile towards Jews due to rising antisemitism.
Stiller remarked, ‘This is something I never imagined I’d encounter in my lifetime.’ Growing up, I was largely shielded from such experiences in New York City. At this point, it’s crucial that we focus on positivity and work towards unity. Let’s extend our efforts to those with whom we disagree, and swiftly condemn hate whenever it surfaces.
The hope over hate message was also delivered by music mogul Scooter Braun, who was honored by the ADL for his efforts in bringing the Nova Music Festival Exhibition to U.S. audiences. Braun recalled the 2017 Manchester terrorist incident during an Ariana Grande concert he produced where 22 people were killed.
“Innocent people dying at a music event is wrong,” he said during the ADL event. “These Nova survivors have given me the greatest gift, because my whole life, I was taught never again, never again. And something shifted since Oct. 7, something changed after I met these kids, because they live by this mantra, ‘We will dance again.’ So I hope you’ll understand I’m done saying what I’m not going to do. I’m done saying the negatives. I want to say again and again and again and again, we will be strong again. We will be proud again. We will dance again and again and again.”
At the event, Blair Underwood, Wolf Blitzer from CNN, and the former RIAA CEO Cary Sherman were among the attendees. Other honorees by ADL included Dr. Mehnaz Afridi, Dr. Charles L. Chavis Jr., Rosette Goldstein (who received the Kay Family Award), and Noa Fay, Luda Isakharov, and Einav Tsach (who each received The Levenson Family Defender of Democracy Award).
In 1995, the inaugural ADL concert took place as a tribute to mark the 50-year anniversary since the conclusion of the Holocaust.
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2024-11-19 23:56