A delegation of bereaved families and representatives of the Nova Tribe Community Association participated last week in the inauguration of Bosque KKL Nova (KKL Nova Forest) in Mendoza, Argentina, alongside representatives of KKL Argentina, and took part in commemorative events across the Latin American nation.
Following the third anniversary of the Hamas-led terrorist attacks in southern Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, the delegation traveled to Argentina for the inauguration of Bosque KKL Nova—a memorial forest in the city of Mendoza where 414 trees were planted, one representing each person murdered at the Nova music festival.
KKL Argentina established the initiative in partnership with the City of Mendoza as a gesture of solidarity with the people of Israel, inspired by the Re’im Grove and the Nova site, which are managed by Keren Kayemeth LeIsrael-Jewish National Fund (KKL-JNF) in Israel.
A monument will be erected at the heart of the forest, providing a place for families and visitors to gather, reflect and remember the people killed that day. The trees and other plant species selected for the site will make it a living memorial that will change and grow over the years. According to KKL Argentina, this is the first memorial site dedicated to the Nova massacre outside Israel.
Members of the delegation participated in Oct. 7 commemorative events, met with members of the Jewish community in Argentina and shared their personal stories with audiences at synagogues and educational institutions in Buenos Aires and Mendoza. During these meetings, the families spoke about their loved ones, the Nova community and life since that Black Shabbat.
The forest includes jacaranda, olive, cypress, lapacho, sweetgum and other tree species, selected for their suitability to the region and their symbolic significance. The initiative aims to turn remembrance into action and create a place where every tree carries a name, a story and a memory that continues to grow. The initiative’s website also features parents sharing stories about their children who were murdered, introducing the people behind the names represented by each tree.
The Nova Tribe Community Association accompanied the families in preparation for the journey and assisted in forming the delegation and preparing participants for the meetings.
Omri Kochavi, a project manager at the community and a survivor of Nova, joined the delegation and accompanied the families throughout the visit. Kochavi participated in the association’s activities in Argentina in 2024; he has since been involved in public diplomacy efforts in Israel and around the world.
KKL-JNF world chairman Eyal Ostrinsky said “the establishment of the memorial forest is an initiative of the highest moral significance, demonstrating the strength of our partnership and the deep commitment of Jewish communities in the Diaspora to stand alongside Israel and preserve the memory of those who were murdered. I thank KKL Argentina and all the partners who took part in this important initiative. Each of the trees planted in this forest represents an entire world—a person, a family and a story that will remain forever etched in the heart of the Jewish people, in Israel and beyond.”
Reef Peretz, CEO of the Nova Tribe Community Association, stated that “for us, establishing a memorial forest of this scale outside Israel is a powerful expression of partnership and commitment to preserving the memory of our loved ones. The planting of 414 trees creates a living memorial that will continue to grow, carrying their names and stories to audiences around the world. For the families originally from Argentina, returning to the place where they were born to commemorate their children is a deeply personal and emotional journey.”
He continued, saying, “we thank KKL Argentina and the City of Mendoza and deeply appreciate their commitment to commemorating those who were murdered. We also thank Argentina’s President Javier Milei for his courageous partnership and for choosing to stand alongside the families of those murdered at the Nova festival. There is strength and comfort in knowing that around the world, there are people who care about the Oct. 7 massacre, who remember, commemorate and stand with the families.”
Omri Kochavi, survivor and project manager at the Nova Tribe Community Association: “I feel an immense sense of responsibility and purpose in joining this journey, both as a survivor and as someone accompanying the families. All of the bereaved families of Argentine origin taking part in the delegation are returning to the place where they were born, this time to commemorate their children.
“It is a deeply emotional and difficult return, and it is important to me to be by their side and enable them to tell the stories of their loved ones in the way and at the pace that is right for them. When we meet people in Argentina, we want them to get to know the people behind the number 414—their names, their stories and their families. We are deeply grateful to KKL Argentina for their commitment and for the space they are creating to preserve the memory of our loved ones.”