Argentina Plants 414 Trees in Mendoza to Honor Nova Festival Victims

KKL Argentina has inaugurated Bosque KKL Nova, a forest in Mendoza planted with 414 trees to commemorate the victims of the Nova music festival massacre. Each tree in the grove corresponds to one person who was killed on October 7, 2023. The site is the first memorial dedicated to the massacre located outside of Israel.

The project was developed in partnership with the City of Mendoza as a gesture of solidarity with Israel. Designers looked to the Re'im Grove and the existing Nova memorial site in Israel for inspiration. A central monument is planned for the forest to serve as a gathering place for relatives and visitors. The planting includes jacaranda, olive, cypress, lapacho, and sweetgum trees, selected for their regional suitability and symbolic value.

Bereaved families and representatives from the Nova Tribe Community Association traveled to Argentina for the dedication ceremony. KKL-JNF officials joined them in the city. The delegation’s itinerary included testimony sessions in both Buenos Aires and Mendoza. Members of the group also participated in local October 7 commemorations and met with Argentina’s Jewish community. They spoke at synagogues and educational institutions in both cities during the visit.

KKL-JNF chairman Eyal Ostrinsky stated that the forest demonstrates the commitment of Jewish communities abroad to support Israel and preserve the memory of the victims. He noted that each tree represents a person whose life included a family and a unique story. The organization’s website features personal accounts from parents describing their murdered children.

Reef Peretz, executive director of the Nova Tribe Community Association, said the growing forest will help share the victims' names and stories with people outside Israel. He described the return of families originally from Argentina to commemorate their children in their birthplace as a deeply emotional experience. Peretz thanked Argentine President Javier Milei for his partnership and support for the victims' families.

Omri Kochavi, a survivor of the massacre and a project manager at the association, accompanied the families throughout the trip. Kochavi previously participated in the association's activities in Argentina in 2024 and has since worked in public diplomacy. He said the meetings were intended to help the public understand the individual lives behind the number 414.

The next phase of the project involves completing the central monument. Families and visitors will be able to gather at the site to remember the victims. The forest stands in Mendoza as a permanent physical reminder of the 414 individuals killed at the Nova festival.