#12 Natalie Sanandaji on Surviving October 7th and Combating Modern Antisemitism

Curveball with Scott Reich

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