Ben Shimoni, 31, was a chef and entrepreneur from Ashkelon who became one of the most recognized heroes of the October 7, 2023 Nova music festival massacre.
He initially escaped the attack near Re’im and drove to safety in Be’er Sheva. But instead of staying, he turned around. Three times under fire, he went back into the inferno to rescue others — friends and strangers alike.
Witnesses say he saved at least 9 people on two trips, then made a final run for his friends Gaya Halifa and Romi Gonen. On that third attempt, Hamas ambushed his car at Alumim Junction. Ben and Gaya were killed; Romi was shot and taken hostage. In total, he’s credited with saving 13–15 lives.
His girlfriend Jessica Elter, who was on the phone with him, called him the “Angel of Nova”. When Romi Gonen was freed in Jan 2025, Jessica said his “mission is now complete.”
Ben was posthumously awarded the Presidential Medal of Civil Courage. His story is often cited as one of “Jewish heroism” — someone who “would just do what he felt was right, regardless of the risk to himself.”
The “Angel of Nova” title captures it: an ordinary person who chose to drive back into horror, over and over, until he couldn’t.
