March 10, 2025 

It has been a little over a week since my first trip to Israel concluded. Now, the next phase of the work begins. Interviews are already being posted to the TenSevenStories Instagram page. I am pleased to share that the Instagram has reached over 48,184 people since the start of my Israel trip until now. Over the next few months, I will be editing video interviews, posting to social media, uploading content to the digital archive, and beginning the planning process for the documentary series. It is clear that there are still so many important stories to be told, and I look forward to returning to Israel by the end of the year to continue this crucial work.

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As I reflect and process my recent time in Israel, I am struck by the powerful stories I had the privilege to document in my last week there.

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I interviewed Dr. Ron Lobel, Head of Disaster Management at Barzilai Medical Center and a resident of Netiv HaAsara, a moshav just meters from the Gaza border that was attacked on October 7th. Dr. Lobel shared his story of hiding in his safe room, neighbors who were murdered in their homes, and his neighbor who was shot in the head in front of his children. The children convinced the terrorists not to kill them by using Google Translate. Dr. Lobel also described the patients that arrived at the hospital that day and how they have been treated ever since. He played an integral role in the building of Shifa Hospital before Hamas took power in Gaza and was crucial in training soldiers during the war to identify where Hamas was located in the hospital.

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I also interviewed Dr. Hedva Spector, Ph.D., Clinical Psychologist and Manager of the Child & Adolescent Psychiatric Day Care Unit at Barzilai Medical Center. Dr. Spector described her experiences treating the influx of patients on October 7 and the lasting trauma that children and families have faced in the aftermath. Her insights underscored the deep emotional scars left on the country.

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I spoke with Shalev Bitton, Nova Festival survivor who was saved by an Arab farmer. The farmer, Yunnis Alkarnawi, hid Shalev in his farm and convinced Hamas terrorists to leave when they arrived at the greenhouse site. I look forward to meeting Yunnis during my next trip to Israel to hear his incredible story firsthand.

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I interviewed Yoni Diller, another Nova Festival survivor who encountered Shani Gabay during his escape. Tragically, Shani Gabay was killed on October 7 by Hamas terrorists. For weeks, her family believed she had been kidnapped and held in Gaza, until a piece of jewelry led to the discovery of her remains, which had mistakenly been buried with another victim.

 

February 19, 2025

This week, I interviewed Haviva Izikson, the sister of hero and paramedic Amit Man. On the morning of October 7, despite pleas from friends to flee Be’eri, Amit chose to stay. She fortified herself in the clinic, treating the wounded for hours while the emergency response team covered the building. When they ran out of ammunition and terrorists broke in, she was killed. Her sister shared that Amit had delivered dozens of babies during her life, and since her passing, nine families have named their daughters in her honor.

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For an expert perspective, I interviewed Mitch Somner, a tour guide living in the South of Israel. He detailed the extent of destruction, sexual violence, and the sheer evil that took place on October 7.

I also spoke with Barak Balva, the brother of Omer Balva, a lone soldier who rushed to serve and was killed on the Lebanon border. Barak described the painful days following his brother’s death and the moment his family was notified of the tragedy.

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I attended Hostage Square following the release of Sasha, Iair, and Itay. The atmosphere was heavy with emotion. This week will be particularly difficult, as bodies from Gaza are expected to be returned tomorrow.

Yesterday, I interviewed Nova Festival survivor Yael Simon. She and her friends were able to escape due to a stroke of luck—the terrorists shot off her license plate before she reached her car. Since her car model matched those used by terrorists that day, they likely assumed she was one of them and let her go.

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Today, I am set to interview Yhoni Skariszewski. Previously, I spoke with Daniel Sharabi, one of two brothers who saved dozens of lives at the Nova Festival. Daniel and his brother Neria found firearms inside a damaged tank and used them to provide cover for escapees while receiving tactical instructions over the phone from their former IDF commander, Yhoni. For five hours, they fended off terrorists, protected injured festival-goers, and applied life-saving first aid. Their bravery ensured the survival of dozens of young festival-goers, including two survivors who I have already interviewed. 

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February 11, 2025

As my time in Israel continues, I want to share more of the powerful stories I have documented over the past few days.

I interviewed Hanni Ricardo, the mother of Oriya Ricardo, a Nova Festival attendee who was murdered. Hanni and I spoke about her daughter’s legacy, the painful experience of finding her body, and the difficult days following October 7.

 

On Saturday night, I captured content at Hostage Square following the hostage release. Public outrage over the images of Or Levy, Eli Sharabi, and Ohad Ben Ami, who were visibly starved and tortured, was evident at this rally. While there, I spoke with Dani Miran, the father of Omri Miran, who remains a hostage in Gaza. I also interviewed the teacher of Avinatan Or, the partner of rescued hostage Noa Argamani. Avinatan is still being held hostage in Gaza under horrific conditions.

 

I sat down with Zohar and Liron, a couple who attended the Nova Festival together. As they realized Hamas was kidnapping festival-goers, Zohar told Liron she would rather die than be captured by Hamas and endure sexual violence. Liron described how he had to come to terms with the possibility of killing the love of his life to spare her from that fate. Fortunately, both Zohar and Liron survived.

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Yesterday, I interviewed a young woman named Hila from Kibbutz Be’eri. She recounted hiding in a safe room with her dog for hours, hearing gunfire and rockets outside her home. Eventually, she was rescued by the IDF, but on her way out, she witnessed dead bodies, burnt cars, and devastating destruction. Over 100 residents of Kibbutz Be’eri were killed that day.

 

Today, I spoke with Yasmin, a Nova Festival survivor. Yasmin and her friends ran for hours through the open fields to escape the attack. In a heroic act, her father drove two hours to the south to rescue her and ten other young people, bringing them to safety against unimaginable odds.

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February 6, 2025

It has been a little over a week since I arrived in Israel, and I want to share an update on the stories I’ve been documenting.

I began my trip by interviewing Simcha Grieniman from ZAKA, who collected over 300 bodies in the weeks following October 7. He shared harrowing accounts of what he witnessed, including devastating details of the sexual violence committed that day. I also spoke with Yasmin Porat, a Nova Festival survivor who escaped to Kibbutz Be’eri, only to find herself in a hostage situation. Over our two-hour interview, she recounted her escape from the festival, being held hostage, and ultimately breaking free.

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Later in the week, I interviewed Dr. Zvi Perry, a trauma surgeon at Soroka Hospital. In the first 24 hours after October 7, Soroka treated over 680 wounded individuals. Dr. Perry described the different patients he saw, including a young Muslim boy who was shot in the abdomen and a pregnant woman who was shot in the stomach—she survived, but her baby did not. Additionally, he shared stories of former hostages treated at the hospital.

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I conducted an interview with Dr. Morris Topaz, who performed life-saving surgery on Nova Festival survivor Naama Gal, who was shot four times. To gain a full picture of her story, I  spoke with Naama herself and Noam, the paramedic who brought her to the hospital, documenting her journey from the attack to her recovery.

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Beyond interviews, I have been capturing extensive B-roll footage to provide a deeper visual context to these stories. One of the most emotional moments of the trip so far was witnessing the release of three hostages—Keith Siegel, Ofer Calderon, and Yarden Bibas—at Hostage Square. The atmosphere was filled with anticipation, relief, and sorrow as hostages were finally able to return home and to their loved ones. I also traveled to Kibbutz Kfar Aza to document the destruction left behind, as well as the site of the burnt cars and the Nova Festival massacre site, where I conducted my interview with Simcha. These sites serve as haunting reminders of the scale of the October 7th tragedy and the resilience of those affected.

 

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January 28, 2025

Tomorrow, I will arrive with a small team in Israel and will begin documenting harrowing stories of those affected by the October 7th attacks to support the development of a digital footprint, social media campaign, educational materials and a documentary. 

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When I arrive at Ben Gurion Airport in Tel Aviv, I know it will be very meaningful to see fewer hostage photos lining the airport compared to my last trip. This anticipated change is a powerful testament to the fact that many hostages are now able to come home to their families. It’s a poignant reminder of the importance of documenting these stories and sharing them with the world.

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We will kick off the trip with our first interview taking place at the Nova Festival site, where we’ll meet with a volunteer from ZAKA, an organization dedicated to disaster victim identification and recovery efforts. Throughout the week, we will meet with survivors, emergency responders, and firsthand witnesses. It is a packed schedule and the team is filled with anxiety, excitement, and humility.

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This week will also be a significant time to capture the voices of the Israeli public, as we plan to visit Hostage Square during the anticipated hostage releases (God willing) to witness and document these emotional moments.

There will be many updates shared on the @tensevenstories Instagram account, where we will document the stories and moments we encounter. We encourage you to follow along and join us on this journey.

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Thank you for your continued encouragement and support. I’ll keep you posted with more updates soon.