Shye Klein was just weeks into his new life in Israel when he drove into the Nova festival at 2 a.m. on October 7th. Before noon, he was back in Tel Aviv — alive, with five friends and a roll of film of people he might never see again.

A Canadian-Israeli photographer who'd never owned a Hillel sweatshirt or set foot on a Birthright trip, Shai walked out of that field and walked straight into 200 speaking engagements, years of therapy, and one of the most clear-eyed accounts of Nova & what resilience actually looks like.

This conversation goes where most October 7th coverage won't: the bureaucratic nightmare of qualifying for Israeli government aid, the survivors who can't return to their old jobs, and the Band-Aid pizza parties masquerading as mental health support. Shai also names exactly where the diaspora should be sending money — and why.

Follow Shye Klein on Instagram @ShyeKlein

Check out Shye’s work www.shyeklein.com/october7story

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What We Discuss:

00:00 Intro & Episode Agenda

05:30 Making Aliyah three weeks before Nova

09:45 Shye's account of Nova

27:30 Finding the 54 people in Shye's photographs

32:00 Speaking tour burnout and avoidance

37:00 Why the aid system fails Nova survivors

42:30 Where the diaspora should actually donate

46:30 Beyond the Supernova photo project

49:00 Closing Remarks & Guest Nomination