Sam Delug, known to many Jewish Jewish charities and organizations in Los Angeles for his generosity, and who turned his home — the site of the notorious Menedez murders — into a community hub, passed away on Jan. 5 at the age of 83.
Delug was born on May 25, 1942 in Australia and arrived in Israel with his parents in the 1940s, where he attended first grade at Hacarmel Elementary School in Tel Aviv. A few years later, the family moved to the United States. Those early years in Israel, however, forged a lifelong bond with the country. After establishing himself as a successful businessman, he traveled frequently to Israel and supported numerous causes related to the country.
Among the nonprofit organizations he regularly supported were FIDF (Friends of the Israel Defense Forces), StandWithUs, Jewish National Fund (JNF), Beit T’shuvah, and the Maccabiah Games in Israel, to name a few.
Eyal Tiberger, who served as CEO of the Maccabiah Games for 30 years and was a close friend of Delug, said, “We met 20 years ago, and he captured my heart. From that moment on, our bond was strong. He was the brother I never had — larger than life, a brilliant businessman; everything he touched, turned to gold. Sam was a true Zionist and loved Israel with all his heart. He was very active in the LA Jewish community and supported many organizations both locally and internationally. Many of his charitable acts were done quietly,” Tiberger told The Journal. “I remember when the war in Ukraine started, he traveled there to help the Jewish community. He did the same in Israel during the war on Oct. 7 — he was actually visiting Israel at the time.”
Delug not only donated generously, he also opened his Elm Street home in Beverly Hills to numerous events. The house, once the scene of the shocking murders committed by the Menendez brothers, was transformed under his care into a place of warmth and purpose, hosting fundraisers and gatherings for organizations such as Beit Halochem and the Israeli Bonds. It also welcomed notable guests, including Yosef Hadad, a prominent Israeli-Arab influencer, who gave a lecture there, making the home a hub for community engagements.
In addition to his philanthropic work, Delug was a successful businessman and attorney. He founded and led ANI Networks, a telecommunications company providing services across the United States, and was also associated with NOS Communications, a long-distance phone provider for small and medium-sized businesses.
Delug was known to play tennis for two hours daily and remained in excellent shape. “He always took pride in saying that the doctors told him he was several years younger than his biological age because he took such good care of himself,” said Tiberger. It’s why his friends and family were shocked when Delug passed away unexpectedly, just two weeks after being diagnosed with cancer.
“There weren’t any early signs,” said Tiberger. “I visited him three weeks ago, and he looked and felt great. He was planning to attend the Maccabiah Games in June, as he did every year. We are now planning to do something in his memory.”
Delug is survived by his three children, Aaron, Asher and Ester, his ex-wife Rosette, and eight grandchildren. He was buried at Mount Sinai Memorial Park on Sunday, Jan. 11, surrounded by family, friends and loved ones who came to honor his memory. He left behind a legacy of generosity and devotion to the Jewish community and Israel.
