From Israel to Brazil: Ipanema Beach Honors the Victims of October 7
Three years after the Hamas massacre, StandWithUs Brasil recreated the Nova Festival memorial on one of Rio de Janeiro’s most iconic beaches, reminding Brazilians of the human lives behind the tragedy.
On October 7, 2026, one of Brazil’s most famous beaches became a place of remembrance.
At Ipanema Beach, in Rio de Janeiro, StandWithUs Brasil organized a public tribute to the victims of the Hamas terrorist attacks of October 7, 2023, marking the third anniversary of the deadliest day for Jews since the Holocaust.
The initiative recreated the memorial established at the site of the Nova Music Festival, near Kibbutz Re’im in southern Israel, where hundreds of young people were murdered while attending an outdoor music celebration.
Along the sand of Ipanema, 397 photographs were displayed alongside flowers symbolizing remembrance, mourning, and resilience. A large banner carried a message that captured the tragedy of that morning: “6:29 – The moment the music stopped.”
It was at approximately 6:29 a.m. on October 7, 2023, that Hamas launched its coordinated attack against southern Israel. Around 1,200 people were killed and 251 were taken hostage into the Gaza Strip.
At the Nova Festival alone, 378 people were murdered and another 44 were abducted, according to figures provided by the organizers of the commemoration. Nineteen of those abducted were killed during the attack or subsequently died in captivity. What was supposed to be a celebration of music, freedom, and life became one of the most horrific scenes of the massacre.
Four Brazilian Lives Lost on October 7
Among the victims of October 7 were four Brazilian citizens: Bruna Valeanu, Karla Stelzer Mendes, Ranani Nidejelski Glazer, and Michel Nisenbaum.
Bruna, Karla, and Ranani were murdered while attending the Nova Music Festival. Michel, a 59-year-old Brazilian-Israeli father and grandfather, was attacked while attempting to pick up his four-year-old granddaughter. His body was recovered by Israeli forces in May 2024, more than seven months after the massacre.
Their stories are a painful reminder that the tragedy of October 7 was not confined to Israel’s borders. Four Brazilian families lost loved ones to terrorism, leaving behind grief that continues to resonate thousands of miles away.
Remembering their names is particularly important in Brazil, where the victims of October 7 should never be regarded merely as distant casualties of a conflict in the Middle East. They were also part of our own national community.
Bringing the Memory of Nova to Brazilian Society
The choice of Ipanema Beach was particularly meaningful. Known internationally for its beauty, music, and vibrant atmosphere, Ipanema represents many of the same expressions of life and freedom that brought thousands of young people together at the Nova Festival.
By recreating the memorial in such a public setting, StandWithUs Brasil sought to bring the memory of the victims into the everyday lives of Brazilians, including those who may have little personal connection to Israel or the Jewish community.
Having spent the third anniversary of October 7 in Israel, I was reminded once again that behind every photograph and every name is a life that was brutally interrupted. As a Brazilian Christian, I believe that remembering these victims is not merely an act of solidarity with Israel or the Jewish people. It is a moral responsibility that transcends religious and national boundaries.
This is precisely why initiatives like the one organized by StandWithUs Brasil matter. At a time when the atrocities of October 7 are increasingly denied, distorted, or justified, bringing the faces and stories of the victims to one of Brazil’s most iconic public spaces is a powerful reminder that remembrance must never be confined to the Jewish community. Their humanity concerns us all.
Remembering Is Also a Responsibility
Three years after October 7, the memory of the massacre remains deeply significant, not only for Israeli society but also for Jewish communities and their allies around the world.
At a time when antisemitism continues to challenge societies across the globe, preserving the memory of the victims is also an affirmation of human dignity and a rejection of the normalization or justification of terrorism.
The faces displayed on Ipanema Beach were not merely photographs. They represented individuals with families, dreams, friendships, and futures that were violently taken away.
For StandWithUs Brasil, an educational organization dedicated to promoting understanding of Israel and combating antisemitism, bringing these stories to the Brazilian public is part of a broader commitment to education and remembrance.
The memorial also conveyed a message that transcends political disagreements over the Israeli-Palestinian conflict: the deliberate murder and abduction of civilians must never be celebrated, justified, or forgotten.
Three years later, the music that stopped at Nova continues to echo far beyond Israel.
From the fields of Nova to the shores of Ipanema, the message remains the same: we remember because every life mattered, and we refuse to let hatred have the final word.
