Submitted by ADI Negev
Courtesy of ADI NEGEV.
DI Negev-Nahalat Eran CEO Avi Vortzman, Nina Paul, ADI’s North American Director of Advancement Elie Klein, and Major General (Res.) Doron Almog, Founder and Chairman of the Rehabilitation Village
When Cincinnati’s Nina Paul first stepped foot onto the grounds of ADI Negev-Nahalat Eran nearly 20 years ago, she was overwhelmed by emotion.
At the time, the rehabilitation village in Israel’s southern desert was in its infancy. Yet, standing in the middle of the Negev, Nina saw something extraordinary: a state-of-the-art sanctuary offering world-class care, unconditional love, and dignity to individuals with severe cognitive and physical disabilities.
For Nina and her husband, Eddie, the vision hit close to home.
“We had a son, Max, who suffered a brain tumor at eight years old,” Nina recalls. “We sent him all over the country to various facilities. At the end of the day, nothing was really great, so we brought him home and created whatever we could for him here. When I saw ADI Negev, I began to cry. If we had possessed a facility like that in the States, who knows how he might have been helped?”
After years of bravery and struggle, Max passed away in 2016 at the age of 22. Amid the heartbreak, Nina and Eddie transformed their devotion to Max into a global legacy that continues to heal thousands of lives in Israel.
ADI Negev is now celebrating its 20th anniversary. Spanning a 40-acre campus, ADI Negev-Nahalat Eran stands alone as a pioneering inclusive community and the first rehabilitation village of its kind. Founded by Major General (Res.) Doron Almog, the village intentionally integrates high-level residential care, special education, and tailored vocational opportunities for children, adolescents, and adults with severe cognitive and physical disabilities. In Doron, Nina has always seen a kindred spirit. A parent inspired by grief to build a society dedicated to our most vulnerable.
The campus represents a “people-powered oasis” equipped with exceptional therapeutic resources—including a hydrotherapy complex, a therapeutic horse stable, an organic farm, a petting zoo, and multiple adaptive athletic centers. However, as volunteers and staff frequently observe, the village’s true therapeutic strength lies in its pervasive culture of love, dignity, and deep human connection, providing an international model for how societies can fully embrace and empower individuals with severe disabilities.
The Birth of the Max Paul International Volunteer Program
For nearly four decades, Nina Paul has been a powerhouse volunteer and leader within Jewish National Fund-USA (JNF-USA). Following her initial visit to ADI Negev, she and Eddie knew where a major portion of their philanthropic heart would belong.
While visiting the village over the years, Nina noticed a unique demographic among the volunteers: young people from Germany and the Netherlands, many of them non-Jewish grandchildren of World War II soldiers, coming to serve Israel’s most vulnerable citizens.
Recognizing a transformative opportunity, Nina thought, “We need to be sending volunteers from the States, too.”
This realization launched the Max Paul International Volunteer Program. The initiative creates structured pathways for international volunteers to give their time and love at ADI Negev.
Whether it is a specialized therapist offering expertise or simply a caring individual holding a child who needs physical warmth, the program opens doors for everyday people to make an indelible impact.
“When people go there, they fall in love,” Nina explains. “How can you not?”
Meeting Critical Needs Post-October 7
The true strength of the Max Paul Program was put to the test following the events of October 7, 2023, and the ensuing war. Located near Ofakim, a community severely impacted during the initial attacks, ADI Negev became a critical sanctuary and medical lifeline for the entire region.
Through the program, vital funding and logistical support were pivoted to recruit international medical professionals, including doctors, physical therapists, and occupational therapists, to serve at the village’s Harvey and Gloria Kaylie Rehabilitation Medical Center.
Furthermore, as JNF-USA launched four-day hands-on volunteer missions across Israel during the war, Nina made sure ADI Negev remained an essential stop on their itineraries. Even during periods of heightened tension, Cincinnatians and American supporters paid their own way to travel, paint buildings, cook meals, and support the staff and residents at ADI and in the Negev.
Building the Negev and Connecting Cincinnati
JNF-USA’s long-standing partnership with ADI Negev stems from a broader strategic goal: to revitalize Israel’s southern frontier by encouraging 500,000 residents to make the Negev their home. Creating high-quality facilities like ADI Negev provides vital healthcare and civil infrastructure, generating meaningful jobs for neighboring towns like Ofakim.
Yet, for Nina, the programmatic mission always comes back to personal connection—and bringing Cincinnati along for the journey.
She recalls taking Father Michael Graham, former president of Xavier University to Israel. Moved by his personal family connection to disability care, Father Graham directed funds toward ADI Negev’s hydrotherapy pool. On that same trip, a local Cincinnati donor joined them on a whim and was so moved by her encounter with ADI Negev that she unexpectedly contributed tens of thousands of dollars to support the village year after year.
A Legacy of Unconditional Love
For Nina and Eddie Paul, their 20-plus-year journey with ADI Negev is far more than a philanthropic donation. It is an enduring love letter to their son Max, whose memory now brings light, medical care, and human warmth to one of the most vital communities in Israel.
As ADI Negev continues to expand its reach and heal the wounded in Israel’s south, Max’s name lives on in every volunteer who steps foot onto the desert to offer a helping hand.
