Israel ParaSport Center

02/26/2026

For , Daniel shares what matters to him as a person with a disability.

His words echo a recurring theme among our athletes - wanting to be understood and treated like everyone else. 💙

02/25/2026

For , Michal shares thoughtfully what being part of sport and the Israel ParaSport Center gives her.

Stay tuned for more from our athletes. 💙

02/25/2026

Purim is a time to share joy, connection, and generosity.

This year, send a personalized digital Purim card to family and friends—while supporting the athletes of the Israel ParaSport Center.

Your gift helps empower Israelis with disabilities through sport and rehabilitation, creating strength, community, and new possibilities every day.

✨ A meaningful alternative or addition to mishloach manot
✨ Personalized and delivered within one business day
✨ A simple way to celebrate Purim and make an impact

Make a donation to the Israel ParaSport Center and receive a personalized digital Purim card to share with your loved ones!Looking for a meaningful alternative or addi...

02/24/2026

For , our para-athletes are sharing what matters to them and what sport has given them.

Itamar, 13, has SMA (Spinal Muscular Atrophy) and plays wheelchair basketball at the sport center. For him, sport isn’t just fun - it helps him stay strong, build friendships, and keep active.

Here he shares what’s important to him as a person with a disability. 💙

02/23/2026

As part of , our para-athletes are opening up about what matters most in their lives.

Yonatan shares it in his own honest way. 💙

Stay tuned for more from our wonderful athletes.

02/23/2026

For , our para-athletes are sharing what sport has given them.

At 14, Matan was left paralyzed after a battle with cancer. Today he is a very promising wheelchair basketball player and is part of our U23 team. It is at the sport center that he reclaimed his life.

Stay tuned for more from our athletes. 💙

02/22/2026

For , our para-athletes are sharing their thoughts and feelings about sport and life. Yonatan? He’s so lovable, and it’s not just what he says but how he says it that shows the power of sport for people with disabilities.

Stay tuned for more from our amazing athletes. 💙

02/22/2026

For Jewish Disability Awareness & Inclusion Month (JDAIM), we asked our para-athletes how sport has shaped their lives and what matters to them most.

Here’s Yonatan, giving a first glimpse of the campaign. Stay tuned for others - each sharing their perspective on sport, resilience, and life.

More than a campaign, this is a window into the world of our athletes.

02/17/2026

Last weekend, Israeli pro-athletes Asael Shabo and Ilay Yarhi visited three Chicagoland schools—Solomon Schechter Day School of Metropolitan Chicago, Hillel Torah North Suburban Day School, and Bernard Zell Anshe Emet Day School. They shared powerful stories of strength through adversity, discussed how sport empowers the disability community, and emphasized the importance of inclusion. Students joined them for wheelchair basketball demos at each stop.

On Shabbat, the athletes were welcomed at Anshe Emet Synagogue for an interview with Rabbi D'ror Chankin-Gould and led a community-wide reverse inclusion wheelchair basketball workshop.

Special thank you to the Anshe Emet Synagogue community for bringing Asael and Ilay to Chicago!

02/15/2026

Roni Kesten , our new Para-badminton player, has returned from her World Championship debut in Bahrain - something we weren’t able to share publicly until the Israel team was safely back home.

Roni won two of her three group matches, finished second in her group, and advanced to the Round of 16. She ended the tournament ranked 9th in her category - an impressive milestone for a debut.

Roni shared: “I'm proud about finishing ninth in my category at my first World Championship. Some matches were easier, some were more challenging, but I’ll keep training and working hard so I can do even better next time.”

Roni's coach Reuven Moses said: “The level at the World Championship was very high. For Roni, competing in her first World Championship and reaching the Round of 16 is an important step. She fought for every point, and with perseverance and faith, I’m sure she will achieve even better results in the future.”

We’re so excited to see what lays ahead for Roni as she continues building her path on the international stage.

Photo by @ההתאחדות הישראלית לספורט נכים - Israel Paralympic Committee

02/11/2026

The visit from the Jewish Federation of Greater Atlanta’s solidarity journey was, as always, a real honor. But this time, the afternoon felt even more significant, full of meaningful and emotion moments.

The group listened as Hila Berdichevsky shared her family’s incredible journey of resilience: from the accident in Thailand where her husband, wheelchair tennis player Adam Berdichevsky, lost his leg, to the harrowing hours they spent on October 7th as terrorists infiltrated their kibbutz, Nir Yitzchak.

The emotion continued as we welcomed former hostage Bar Kupershtein, along with his brother Dvir and their father Tal - a cherished member of The Center. Our National Philanthropic Chair Craig Kornblum presented the family with a gift from an anonymous donor to support them in their recovery after an unthinkable couple of years. Atlanta Federation CEO Renee Kutner also told Bar and the group about a moment she and Chief Impact Officer Rich Walter had at Hostage Square soon after October 7th when they met Bar's grandparents who are Holocaust survivors, and now seeing Bar free.

To the dear Atlanta Jewish community, you are an integral partner of the Israel ParaSport Center. We are so grateful that you always include us in your visits to Israel and that you make projects like the current renovation of our semi-Olympic pool possible.

To our new and old friends, thank you for spending a few impactful hours with us. We look forward to seeing you here again soon.

02/11/2026

Asael and Ilay made time in LA for some important conversations.

From a sit-down with Israel's Consul General Israel Bachar to time spent with board members Amy Hochman and Shana Glassman and the friends they brought together to meet our athletes, their visit was a reminder of what this work is built on: people who step forward, open doors, and help carry the mission forward.