From the Nova Inferno to Faith: A Young Woman's Journey to Observance

Sometimes clarity emerges precisely from the most complex and darkest moments. For 22-year-old Gefen Nixon from Afula, that moment arrived out of the inferno. When her older and beloved brother Barak miraculously survived the horrific massacre at the Nova music festival, he chose to make a dramatic turnaround in his life, adopt a religious lifestyle, and bring a fresh spirit of faith and inner joy into the family. Although Gefen continued her secular routine, the special light radiated by her brother began to percolate into her as well.

In an interview with the podcast "Hitnari," Gefen opens her heart about the measured steps through which she drew closer to God: starting from lighting Shabbat candles and small, quiet prayers, through the first hour on Friday when she gave up her smartphone, to the defining moment when she realized she had to take the courageous step. She shares honestly about the painful breakup with her partner, stepping out into the unknown with just two bags of clothes, and the wondrous strengthening that filled her life with new meaning and faith in the Creator.

A Gift from the Creator

Gefen shares that she grew up in a mostly secular home with a clear traditional connection. The family was very close-knit, especially with Barak, the older brother. Even before October 7, he had begun keeping Shabbat and growing closer to Judaism, while the rest of the household continued their normal routine.

Then came the Nova festival. For long hours, the family did not know Barak's condition. Gefen recounts seeing requests for help on social media to locate him, and only after a long time did she receive a call from him announcing he was alive.

When he returned home, each family member chose to take upon themselves a small commitment. Gefen decided to strictly separate meat and dairy and light Shabbat candles. "I said, the Holy One blessed be He gave me a gift, I must give something back," she recounts. At the same time, she continued living as a secular person, working, driving on Shabbat, and maintaining a long-term relationship.

One Hour Without a Phone

The change did not happen all at once. She recounts that she started with one hour without a phone upon the arrival of Shabbat. Afterward, she returned to her daily routine, but that single hour transformed into a different space for her.

Simultaneously, she observed her brother. According to her, precisely after what he went through at the Nova festival and the major change in his life, she saw a joy and tranquility in him that she had not known before. "I see that he experienced things that shatter people, and he is the happiest person in the world," she shares.

She began joining him occasionally for Torah study and synagogue. According to her, he never tried to force a change upon her. "He accepts me as I am," she recounts. "He simply tells me: Gefen, maybe you'll come with me to synagogue."

Stepping Into the Unknown

One of the moments that signaled a turning point for her arrived when her father, whom she defines as secular, called her in the middle of the night and invited her to travel together for Selichot prayers at the Western Wall.

Ahead of the trip, she wore a skirt for the first time in her life. "First time in my life I put on a cardigan to cover my shoulder," she recounts. No one asked her to do so. According to her, it was an internal feeling that came entirely from within.

Later, realizing that her spiritual transformation conflicted with the life she had built with her partner, she made the ultimate choice. During Shabbat candle lighting one Friday, she prayed: "Father, from now on I am with you. Games are over."

After a few attempts, she called Barak to come pick her up. In the middle of the night, she left home with two bags containing two pairs of jeans and two tank tops, leaving her previous life behind. Today, she lives alone in Rishon LeZion, keeping Shabbat and continuing her spiritual journey step by step.

"I see that he experienced things that shatter people, and he is the happiest person in the world."