Israeli television host Maayan Adam has bid farewell to Roy Shalev, the partner of her late sister Mapal Adam, who took his own life Friday night. “Roy was murdered on October 7 and died yesterday,” Adam wrote in a post shared on Instagram. “I have no words, and it will take time to find them. I hope these two children are embraced and smiling now, hearts pressed together again.”
Shalev, 30, a survivor of the Nova music festival massacre, was found dead in a burning car near Poleg Beach in Netanya. Fire and rescue crews responding to the scene discovered his body inside the vehicle on Highway 2, near the Udim interchange. Paramedics pronounced him dead at the scene, and police opened an investigation into the circumstances of his death.
Dozens of young people gathered at the site, including Omri Sassi, a well-known DJ and one of the Nova festival’s organizers, who had joined the search for Shalev. Many of his friends stood in shock behind the police barrier, struggling to process the news.
“Everyone was worried and afraid he would hurt himself — now we’re all in shock,” one friend said.
Shalev, a resident of Nitzanei Oz originally from Kfar Yona, survived the Nova attack but was wounded by gunfire and lost his partner, Mapal Adam, during the massacre. Shortly before his death, he posted a message on social media saying he “couldn’t go on” and asked for forgiveness, alarming his friends and family.
He was last seen at the Tnuvot gas station on Route 57, a few kilometers from his home, filling a jerrycan with fuel. He is survived by his father, brother, and sister. His mother died by suicide shortly after the events of October 7. People who knew him said he had struggled deeply since that day. “Everyone was anxious and terrified he’d harm himself. We searched everywhere, hoping to find him in time,” one acquaintance recalled. Earlier Friday, the Adam family had visited Mapal’s grave to mark one year since the massacre. Relatives said Shalev never recovered from her death.
Shai Malachi, a close friend of Shalev, saw the post and immediately alerted his father, Eli Malachi, a former intelligence officer, who used his connections to try to locate Shalev’s phone. “When we arrived, we still hoped we’d reach him in time, but then we saw a huge blaze from afar,” Eli recounted. “My son Shai ran toward the burning car to try to save him, but it was too late. Roy was like family to us, but deep down we knew he didn’t have the strength to go on.”
The Nova Tribe community organization issued a statement mourning his death: “With hearts shattered into pieces, we bow our heads in profound grief over the untimely death of Roy Shalev, a cherished member of our community who passed away in tragic circumstances. Roy was one of the pillars of our group, and his death is incomprehensible to us. We share in the immense sorrow of his family, friends, and the entire community.”
The statement continued: “We will remember him in his brightest moments — for his bravery, his role as captain of the Nova Tribe basketball team, and his tireless support for his friends in their hardest times. In this dark hour, we ask everyone to hold on together, to truly see one another, and to pay attention to every person around us. We have endured much pain in the past two years; we survive it together, and together we will survive this unbearable loss too.” The organization added a plea for vigilance: “Sadly, many survivors of post-traumatic stress are still facing unbearable struggles since Oct. 7. We ask everyone to remain alert and compassionate toward the mental state of survivors, festival attendees, and bereaved families.”
If someone around you is in crisis or may be suicidal, do not hesitate — talk to them. Encourage them to seek professional help. You can reach the ERAN emotional support hotline by dialing 1201, contact them via WhatsApp at 052-8451201, visit sahar.org.il, or go to headspace.org.il for youth mental health assistance.
First published: 16:07, 10.11.25