Activist Natalie Sanandaji: ‘Positive change happening’
Shortly after October 7, Sanandaji joined the Combat Antisemitism Movement because she felt she owed it to all those who didn't survive.
Natalie Sanandaji, an Iranian-Israeli who survived the Nova music festival, believes it was “serendipitous timing” that she was in Australia when the Iranian ambassador was expelled from the country.
Sanandaji, the public affairs officer of the Combat Antisemitism Movement, said she was surprised by Australia’s decision to expel Ahmad Sadeghi, but it left her feeling hopeful.
“I really came to Australia kind of scared that if something were to happen to me here, who would protect me?” she told The AJN.
“But Australia turning against the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) because of the fact that they were connected to two antisemitic attacks in the beginning of this war here in Australia left me a little bit hopeful. It made me feel like maybe there’s positive change happening here.”
Sanandaji was born in New York to Iranian-Israeli parents after her father fled Iran just before the Islamic Revolution. She said it’s “disheartening” to see people at pro-Palestine rallies marching in support of the Iranian regime “simply because the regime is against Israel”.
“These are the same people who were marching during the ‘Woman, Life, Freedom’ movement and chanting against the regime,” she said.
“So it’s really crazy that for these people, antisemitism is stronger than humanitarianism for the Iranian people. But if anything, it just makes me want to speak out even more.”
Shortly after October 7, Sanandaji joined the Combat Antisemitism Movement because she felt she owed it to all those who didn’t survive the Nova festival massacre “to be their voice”.
On October 7, 2023, Sanandaji and three friends ran for about four hours from Hamas terrorists at the Nova festival. She said a series of split second decisions – “like turning left or turning right or running in a certain direction” – saved their lives that day.
“Eventually, about four hours in, a man named Moshe Sati from a nearby moshav called Patish found us and brought us to his hometown,” said Sanandaji.
Sati spent hours risking his own life by driving back and forth from Re’im to rescue survivors in his truck.
While in Australia, Sanandaji will share her story with three non-Jewish audiences.
“It is so important that her story is heard by opinion leaders outside the Jewish community, and we are giving her that opportunity,” said National Council of Jewish Women of Australia president Lynda Ben Menashe.
“This is part of NCJWA’s core business: amplifying the voices of diverse Jewish women to the wider world.”