Boy George visited the Nova Festival memorial site near Re'im on Tuesday, meeting survivors of the October 7 massacre, former hostages and bereaved families ahead of two concerts in Tel Aviv this week.
The singer was accompanied by Sylvan Adams, President of the World Jewish Congress Israel, who hosted his visit. Together, they toured the site before taking part in a press conference with members of the Nova community, including festival co-founders and representatives of the Tribe of Nova Community Association.
The visit was an opportunity to remember the more than 360 people killed when Hamas-led terrorists attacked the festival on October 7, 2023. Dozens more were abducted to Gaza. The site, near Kibbutz Re'im in southern Israel, is now marked by memorials bearing the names and photographs of those murdered.
For Boy George, the visit was also personal. His song "We Will Dance Again" was inspired by the accounts of survivors and bereaved families he encountered through the Nova 06:29 exhibition in London. The testimonies prompted him to speak publicly in support of the Jewish community.
Speaking at the gathering, the Culture Club frontman described his reaction to the massacre and the antisemitism that followed.
"I saw what happened on October 7, and it horrified me. What horrified me more was hearing people who had no connection to what happened telling me it wasn't true, that it was made up. I was getting messages from Jewish friends in London saying they didn't feel safe, that they felt uncomfortable wearing their Star of David. My Jewish friends are my family, and you protect your own family. I couldn't just sit there and do nothing. Writing 'We Will Dance Again' wasn't about making my career better. It was about what I felt deeply inside. For me, the most important line is: 'If you're ever confused, I stand with the Jews.' I feel odd being thanked for doing what's just normal. Music should make people feel safe, celebrated, and like they belong. That's the music I want to make."
The gathering was moderated by Omer Shem Tov, who was abducted from the Nova festival and held hostage in Gaza for 505 days.
Adams, whose parents were Holocaust survivors, thanked Boy George for coming to Israel at a time when some international artists have chosen to boycott the country or remain silent about antisemitism.
"As the son of Holocaust survivors, I grew up with the words Never Again. I never imagined that, in my lifetime, we would once again witness the mass murder of Jews simply because they were Jews. October 7 reminded us that Never Again cannot simply be a slogan. It must be a commitment. At a time when too many international artists have chosen to boycott Israel or remain silent in the face of antisemitism, you chose to come. You used your voice and your international platform to stand with the Jewish people, despite the threats and boycotts. That takes courage. And moral clarity.
"You have spent your career celebrating individuality, freedom, and the right of every person to be themselves. These are values we share, and precisely the values the terrorists who attacked this festival sought to destroy. Your concert in Tel Aviv on November 7, dedicated to the Nova community, is much more than a performance. When you take the stage, it will be a declaration that terror will never have the final word."
Boy George, best known for hits including "Karma Chameleon" and "Do You Really Want to Hurt Me," is performing at Tel Aviv's Menora Mivtachim Arena on November 4 and 7. Both concerts are being produced by Live Nation Israel. The first has sold out, while the second was added at the singer's request and will be dedicated to the Nova community and their families under the banner "We Will Dance Again."
Adams and the Museum of Tolerance Jerusalem donated 1,500 tickets for the November 7 show to the Tribe of Nova Community Association, which is distributing them to survivors and bereaved families.
The visit also forms part of Adams' efforts over nearly a decade to bring international sporting and cultural events to Israel.
Boy George arrived in Jerusalem on November 2, where he visited the Western Wall and prayed for peace alongside Adams. He also met President Isaac Herzog and First Lady Michal Herzog, together with former hostage Elkana Bohbot, and toured the Museum of Tolerance Jerusalem's "06:29 – From Darkness to Light" exhibition.
