On this powerful episode of Curveball, host Scott Reich sits down with Natalie Sanandaji, an American survivor of the Nova Music Festival massacre during the October 7th terrorist attacks in Israel. Natalie recounts her harrowing escape—running for hours through Israeli farmland, making life-or-death “choiceless choices,” and ultimately surviving thanks to the bravery of strangers. Her story is not only a testament to resilience in the face of unimaginable trauma, but also a call to confront the reality of rising antisemitism, both globally and here in the United States. Join us as Natalie shares how her life changed in an instant, the lessons she’s learned, and how she is now channeling her experience into advocacy and action against hate. This conversation shines a light on survival, identity, and the fight against ignorance in today’s world.
Listeners Will Learn:
- Natalie mentioned living in a "Jewish bubble" in New York before October 7th.
- The episode describes a unique security process for events in Israel, including vetting ticket buyers and withholding event locations.
- Natalie talks about “choiceless choices” when running for her life during the attack.
- She highlights how some of her friends at the festival did not survive.
- After the attack, Natalie dedicated herself to combating antisemitism and educating others.
- Natalie draws parallels between the rise of extremism in Iran and current trends she’s seeing among young people in the United States.
- She argues that increasing Jewish history education in schools could reduce antisemitism.
- As a Jew, Natalie expresses feeling safer in Israel during wartime than in many Western countries.
- Throughout the ordeal, Natalie witnessed both the worst and best of humanity—tragic loss and incredible acts of bravery.
Key Moments:
(00:00) Israel Festival Ticket Process
(04:44) Dance Interrupted by Rocket Attack
(09:11) Unexpected Danger at Israeli Festival
(10:43) Festival Ends in Tragedy
(15:08) Near-Escape During Gunfire Chaos
(19:45) Escape Through Farmland
(21:30) Festival to Fear: Terror Under Tree
(25:33) Awakening: Survivor's Perspective and Duty
(28:04) Education's Role in Combating Antisemitism
(31:57) Fear and Identity in Dubai
(36:03) Activist Transitions from Reality to Advocacy
(38:39) Survivor's Story: Antisemitism Exposed
Popular Podcasts
Stuff You Should Know
If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.
Medal of Honor: Stories of Courage
Rewarded for bravery that goes above and beyond the call of duty, the Medal of Honor is the United States’ top military decoration. The stories we tell are about the heroes who have distinguished themselves by acts of heroism and courage that have saved lives. From Judith Resnik, the second woman in space, to Daniel Daly, one of only 19 people to have received the Medal of Honor twice, these are stories about those who have done the improbable and unexpected, who have sacrificed something in the name of something much bigger than themselves. Every Wednesday on Medal of Honor, uncover what their experiences tell us about the nature of sacrifice, why people put their lives in danger for others, and what happens after you’ve become a hero. Special thanks to series creator Dan McGinn, to the Congressional Medal of Honor Society and Adam Plumpton. Medal of Honor begins on May 28. Subscribe to Pushkin+ to hear ad-free episodes one week early. Find Pushkin+ on the Medal of Honor show page in Apple or at Pushkin.fm. Subscribe on Apple: apple.co/pushkin Subscribe on Pushkin: pushkin.fm/plus
Dateline NBC
Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Follow now to get the latest episodes of Dateline NBC completely free, or subscribe to Dateline Premium for ad-free listening and exclusive bonus content: DatelinePremium.com