(Courtesy of Ramaz) Award-winning journalist and Ramaz graduate Gilad Thaler, ’08, has been on the front lines of some of the most impactful events of our time. He traveled to Puerto Rico to cover Hurricane Maria. He visited the sites of tragic mass shooting events at the Tree of Life Synagogue in Pittsburgh and the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida. During the height of the pandemic, he was embedded in Montefiore Hospital in the Bronx. His reporting and storytelling has earned him Emmys and other prestigious awards, but Thaler is most proud of the way he has centered humanity in his stories and “created platforms and spaces for vulnerable communities to be able to raise their voices and push for accountability.”
This is what he’s done with his latest film, “Surviving Nova,” which premiered on Vice six months after the Nova Festival. The documentary provides firsthand accounts of the Hamas attacks on the Nova Festival on Oct. 7. It also explores the lasting impact on the survivors, victims and their families. There was a lot of news after Oct. 7 but Thaler noticed that in that type of coverage, the people affected and their humanity were getting lost. “Surviving Nova,” is told through primary sources: footage and testimonies from the people who experienced the festival and its impact.
It was important to Thaler to remove himself from the piece and to just create a platform for Nova survivors to be able to tell their stories. “It’s a straight, sober telling of the day and how people are grappling,” said Thaler. The documentary challenges people across the political spectrum. “People might find it frustrating and surprising,” said Thaler. “but pieces of journalism are powerful when they challenge your preconceived notions.”
It was through Judiac studies at Ramaz when Thaler first became comfortable being uncomfortable and asking questions. For Thaler, “learning to appreciate questions more than answers plays a huge role in journalism.” In Tanach class, he was taught to scrutinize every word to figure out the meaning of why it was included. The skill and practice of engaging with text and challenging authority is something he carries with him every day in his work.
Thaler visited Ramaz on Sept. 16 to speak to the junior class to talk about “Surviving Nova.” In his talk, he highlighted the emotional delicacy of his work, for both the subjects and the filmmakers. Reliving and recounting Oct. 7 can be retraumatizing for survivors, so Thaler made sure interviewees knew they could tap out at any time. He told students that the documentary follows its subjects beyond Oct. 7 because the survivors of the Nova festival must also survive the trauma of their experience every single day.
Since its premiere in April, people have been engaging with “Surviving Nova.” The goal of the film is to be an objective piece of journalism, but Thaler hopes that it inspires people to work toward mutual understanding.
Gilad will return to Ramaz on Oct. 9 for a screening of “Surviving Nova” followed by a Q&A with Rabbi Joshua Lookstein, ’88. To sign up for this event, register using this QR code.
