The family of Almog Sarusi, the 27-year-old Israeli abducted from the Nova music festival and later murdered while in Hamas captivity, has launched a foundation in his name to carry forward his vision for a better, more compassionate society.
Almog was kidnapped on October 7 after remaining behind to help his injured girlfriend, Shahar Gindi. Shahar was later found dead, while Almog, though gravely wounded, was taken alive into Gaza.
For 11 months, he endured inhumane conditions before he was brutally murdered in a Hamas tunnel along with five other hostages – Hersh Goldberg-Polin, Eden Yerushalmi, Alex Lobanov, Ori Danino, and Carmel Gat in September 2024. Their bodies were recovered during an operation in Rafah.
Now, six months after receiving the devastating confirmation of Almog’s death, his family is channelling their grief into action. In his memory, they have established a charitable association called “There’s Nothing Better Than Being Good”, a phrase that came from Almog and represents the values he lived by, they said.
Speaking from London, Almog’s second cousin, Merav Kaye, described him as “a remarkable young man – full of light, kindness, and a rare sense of justice.”
Though she has lived in the UK for the past 17 years, Merav remains deeply connected to her extended family in Israel and is leading efforts to raise awareness and support for the foundation internationally.
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Almog Sarusi with his girlfriend Shahar Gindi. Both were murdered by Hamas terrorists[Missing Credit]
“Almog had a kind of natural leadership, even as a teenager,” she said. “He believed in helping people who were unseen – young people without opportunities, without safety. Even at 17, he told us he wanted to create a home for at-risk youth. That was just the kind of person he was.”
The foundation has already begun work on several major initiatives, shaped by Almog’s dreams and character.
A home for at-risk youth is being developed in Ra’anana, where young people will receive the guidance, care and educational support Almog himself had always hoped to provide.
The concept came directly from his upbringing, according to Kaye, who recalled that his parents’ home had always been famously open and ready with extra plates on the Shabbat table for Almog’s friends who had nowhere else to go.
Alongside the home for at-risk youth, the family is launching an agricultural initiative in the Negev – Israel’s first commercial pistachio-growing project.
Inspired by Almog’s deep love for the land and his Zionist ideals, the idea is to engage soldiers, students and youth from across the country, blending education, community and resilience.
Participants would not only cultivate the land but also learn about Almog’s life and values, ensuring that his legacy would not only be remembered, but carried out, said Merav.
The name of the foundation, “There’s Nothing Better Than Being Good”, is not a direct quote from Almog, but captured the essence of his life, she added, saying: “It sounds exactly like something he would have said.”
“People believed he would survive [being held hostage] as he had that strength. His family all did everything they could to bring him home, but now our mission is different, to carry him forward.”
For Merav and her family, transforming heartbreak into hope has been both painful and necessary. “Life will never be the same,” she said. “The hole is enormous. But our strength now comes from doing what Almog would have done – helping others, giving back, being good.”
Almog Sarusi[Missing Credit]
Her youngest son, Jonny, 18, has also taken part in the campaign. “Even though I may not have known Almog well – he is my second cousin and my parents spoke of him often – being Jewish means having a connection that is unexplained,” he said.
“As soon as I heard what happened, my heart sank. As a young Jewish adult like myself, it strikes fear into me how things such as this can happen, which is why it’s just so important to have this foundation in his honour.”
The foundation aims to raise1.5 million shekels, and since its recent launch, more than half that amount has already been secured, with donations coming from both Israel and overseas.
Merav is now focusing her efforts on engaging the UK Jewish community to help raise funds.
If you wish to donate please find the link here
