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Nova music festival survivor and Combat Antisemitism Movement (CAM) Public Affairs Officer Natalie Sanandaji recently visited Tenafly High School in New Jersey, offering students a unique opportunity to hear a gripping firsthand account of the horrific events of October 7th and learn what they can do to help fight the surge of antisemitism sweeping across the globe in the aftermath.
In a moving lunchtime presentation to a packed audience in the school library, Natalie reflected on her narrow brush with death, evading Hamas terrorists in the fields of southern Israel before reaching safety, and explained how the terrifying experience transformed her life.
A Long Island native born to an Israeli mother and Iranian father, Natalie worked in real estate in New York City before October 7th, when she attended the Nova festival with friends during a visit to Israel for a wedding. Upon her return to the United States, she switched her career path to Jewish advocacy and fighting antisemitism, joining the CAM professional team.
“I felt that because I was so lucky, because I survived, I owed it to those who were not as lucky as I was, I owed it to those who were murdered on October 7th, to those who were taken hostage, and to those who until this day are too traumatized to speak out and tell their story,” Natalie said.
For more on Natalie’s inspiring story of resilience, read HERE and HERE.
Tenalfy students were visibly moved by Natalie’s remarks, with junior Adi Weissman, the event organizer, telling The Echo, the school’s newspaper, “The truth in Natalie’s story has the power to create change. When my classmates hear it, it can shape their perspectives, spark conversations, and ultimately influence the next generation.”
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In addition to speaking appearances in which she shares her personal October 7th testimony, Natalie also leads CAM’s Iranian Coalition — a network dedicated to promoting freedom and justice for the oppressed people of Iran. This initiative offers Iranian diaspora activists a platform to unite and engage in collaborative initiatives to educate and mobilize the international community against the tyrannical Tehran regime.
If you would like to host Natalie for a speaking engagement at your school, please email: natalie@combatantisemitism.org
