Boy George visited the site of the Nova music festival massacre and prayed for peace at Jerusalem's Western Wall ahead of scheduled concerts in Israel. The singer met survivors, former hostages, and bereaved families on Tuesday at the memorial site near Kibbutz Re'im, where hundreds were killed on October 7, 2023.
He was accompanied by Sylvan Adams, president of the World Jewish Congress Israel, for a private tour and press conference focused on remembrance and supporting those affected by the attack. The previous day, Boy George visited the Western Wall with Adams, placing a note between the stones and describing the experience as a moment of "gratitude, reflection, love and prayer."
The British artist is set to perform two concerts at Tel Aviv's Menora Mivtachim Arena on November 4 and 7. The first concert, featuring special guest Ivri Lider, has sold out. The second concert, titled "We Will Dance Again," will feature DJ Ofer Nissim. At Boy George's request, 1,500 tickets for the November 7 show have been donated for distribution to survivors and bereaved families.
Reflecting on his visit to the Western Wall, Boy George stated he was thinking of loved ones and that the site made him "feel the presence of those you love, wherever they may be."
Adams praised the singer for his courage in visiting Israel despite pressure on artists to boycott the country, stating, "George chose to come, perform for his Israeli fans and support the Nova survivors and bereaved families."
Boy George also met with Israeli President Isaac Herzog, who presented him with a sculpture inspired by the red anemones at the Nova festival site. The sculpture recognized his support for Israel and the Jewish people. Herzog commended the singer's "moral clarity" during a time when Israelis and Jews face discrimination. Boy George remarked that his song "We Will Dance Again," inspired by the October 7 massacre, had personally changed him, adding, "I feel like 'We Will Dance Again' has forced me to grow up."