Nitzan Association

The Nitzan Association (Hebrew: אגודת ניצן) is an Israeli nonprofit organization founded in 1964 by parents and volunteers to identify, diagnose, treat and rehabilitate children and adults with learning disabilities, adjustment difficulties and functional challenges. It describes itself as the leading professional body in Israel in its field, with more than 60 years of activity. Its work spans diagnosis of learning disabilities and ADHD, psychological and paramedical therapies, parent counselling and coaching, occupational therapy, teacher training, residential and club frameworks, and preparation for independent living and employment. The association operates through a nationwide network of branches — 38 branches across Israel according to its Hebrew Wikipedia entry — serving thousands of children and adults each year. Services include didactic and psychological assessments, psychological treatment, paramedical therapies, and rehabilitation toward independent living in the social and employment spheres. Nitzan also runs a multidisciplinary expert center providing a holistic, case-managed approach with professionals under one roof, as well as training programs and parent education events. Nitzan is governed by a chairperson and a committee that includes branch representatives and volunteer public figures; each branch has its own volunteer board, chairperson, branch director and professionals in learning disabilities, diagnosis, treatment and parent support. As of 2017, Ofra Elul was chairperson and Dr. Mali Danino was director-general. In 2008 the association's activity turnover was 21 million shekels, of which 11 million shekels came from donations, allocations and support. The organization's stated mission is to ensure the future and quality of life of children and adults with learning disabilities and ADHD and to enable them to integrate into society in a way that expresses their abilities and skills. It offers free initial consultation meetings via Zoom and runs public-facing webinars and lecture series for parents.

The Nitzan Association was founded in 1964 by parents and volunteers in Israel. The background to its establishment was a lack of societal awareness of learning disabilities: at the time, the education system did not recognize the special needs of students with learning disabilities and did not allocate appropriate resources to help them. School staff were also not equipped to provide tailored assistance in learning, and many children were mistakenly labeled 'lazy' and sometimes even 'retarded.' To address these needs, Nitzan developed the first initial diagnostic tools in the country for identifying learning disabilities, as well as methods for remedial teaching, including training teachers in diagnosis and treatment across the country and integrating them into the education system. Over the decades, the association grew into a nationwide network. According to its Hebrew Wikipedia entry, it operates through 38 branches throughout Israel, where thousands of children and adults with learning disabilities, adjustment and functioning difficulties are treated each year. They receive responses to their unique needs at all stages of life through various services: didactic and psychological assessments, psychological treatments, paramedical therapies, rehabilitation toward independent living in the social and employment spheres, and more. The association's branches listed include Aon, Ofakim, Eilat, Ashdod, Ashkelon, Be'er Sheva, Beit She'an, Dimona, Herzliya, Nitzan Parents Herzliya, Hadera, Haifa, Tiberias, Yehud, Yeruham, Kfar Saba, Nitzan Parents Karmiel, Migdal HaEmek, Modi'in, Modi'in Housing, Misgav, Nahariya, Nes Ziona, Nazareth Illit, Netanya, Omer, Afula, Arad, Petah Tikva, Kiryot, Rosh HaAyin, Rishon LeZion, Nitzan Parents Rishon LeZion, Rehovot, Ramat Gan, Ra'anana, Tel Aviv and the National Center. Nitzan is managed by a chairperson and a committee that includes branch representatives and volunteer public figures. Each branch has a volunteer board headed by a chairperson, as well as a branch director and professionals in learning disabilities, diagnosis, treatment and parent assistance. As of 2017, the chairperson of the association was Ofra Elul and the director-general was Dr. Mali Danino. In 2008, the association's activity turnover was 21 million shekels, of which 11 million shekels were raised from donations, allocations and support. In the 2020s the association continued to expand its public-facing services, including free Zoom consultation meetings, webinars on ADHD and occupational therapy, a 'University for Parents' lecture series, and vocational cooking workshops such as the Master Chef workshop at the Nitzan Kfar Saba institute. Its official website states that more than a million children have received Nitzan's support over the years, and that it remains the leading professional body in Israel in its field.

• 2025

  Haaretz article highlights Nitzan's adult housing facility favorably compared to most welfare buildings in Israel.

• 2017

  Ofra Elul serves as chairperson and Dr. Mali Danino as director-general.

• 2008

  Association's activity turnover was 21 million shekels, with 11 million from donations, allocations and support.

• 1964

  Nitzan Association founded by parents and volunteers in Israel.

Israel's leading professional body for learning disabilities and ADHD support since 1964, providing a holistic, multidisciplinary envelope from childhood to adulthood.

• Learning disability and ADHD diagnosis

  Initial and comprehensive diagnostic tools developed in Israel.

• Didactic and psychological assessments

  Assessment services for children and adults.

• Psychological and paramedical therapies

  Therapeutic services including occupational therapy.

• Parent counselling and coaching

  Support and guidance for parents.

• Teacher training and certification

  Training teachers in diagnosis and remedial teaching.

• Residential and club frameworks

  Housing and social frameworks for adults.

• Rehabilitation toward independent living

  Social and employment rehabilitation.

• Free Zoom consultation meetings
• University for Parents lecture series
• ADHD and occupational therapy webinar
• Master Chef workshop at Nitzan Kfar Saba

1. 1דף הבית - אגודת ניצןnitzan-israel.org.il
2. 2Nitzan Association - Wikidatawikidata.org
3. 3אגודת ניצן - Hebrew Wikipediahe.wikipedia.org