Ben-Gurion University Unveils Portable XRF Device Honoring Nadav Goldstein-Almog
Ben-Gurion University of the Negev inaugurated a portable X-ray fluorescence (XRF) device in memory of Nadav Goldstein-Almog, a university alumnus murdered on October 7, 2023, during the massacre at Kibbutz Kfar Aza. The device, donated by the company Kafrit and the Goldstein-Almog family, will support students and researchers in geology, archaeology, materials engineering, and environmental sciences by enabling advanced elemental analysis outside traditional laboratories.
Nadav Goldstein-Almog, 48, was killed alongside his eldest daughter, Yam, aged 20. His wife Chen and three other children were kidnapped to Gaza and released after 51 days in a prisoner exchange. Nadav served as VP of business development and innovation at Kafrit, an international Israeli company specializing in plastic additives, founded in Kibbutz Kfar Aza in 1973.
The portable XRF device allows non-destructive elemental composition analysis on-site, unlike conventional large, stationary lab equipment. It has already contributed to doctoral research at the university’s materials engineering department, resulting in a scientific publication acknowledging the Goldstein-Almog family’s donation.
Nadav’s parents, Vered and David Goldstein, participated in the device’s dedication ceremony alongside university officials and Kafrit representatives. David highlighted Nadav’s connection to the nanotechnology lab that lacked such a device until Kafrit’s donation. Vered emphasized that this memorial initiative honors Nadav’s professional legacy and values, complementing other commemorations through sports and community projects.
The family is rebuilding their home in Kfar Aza on the site destroyed by terrorists, affirming their commitment to return despite the challenges. The nanotechnology lab team plans to visit the kibbutz soon, continuing the collaboration inspired by Nadav’s memory. Professor Yuval Golan, vice president and dean of research and development, praised Nadav’s self-taught expertise and the device’s immediate impact on university research and student education.
