Adam Berdichevsky at the 2024 Paris Olympics waving the Israeli flag on the court after a game. Credit: Lilach Weiss Rosenberg
At the Israel ParaSport Center in Ramat Gan, athletes embody the Israeli spirit of resilience and determination. Through sport, they rebuild strength, confidence, and purpose, proving that even in the face of life-altering challenges, the human spirit can thrive.
Adam Berdichevsky, a Paralympic wheelchair tennis player, is one such example. While his career and personal life were profoundly disrupted by the October 7 terror attacks that devastated Kibbutz Nir Yitzhak in the Gaza Envelope, where Adam was born and lives with his wife Hila and three children, Adam’s dedication to training, his community, and the sport he loves helped him navigate two years of displacement, loss, and uncertainty.
On the morning of October 7th, for 14 terrifying hours, Adam and Hila huddled in their safe room with their children, Adam without his prosthetic in the room for the first hour, clutching the door handle to keep it shut as terrorists infiltrated their kibbutz. While the attackers reached the immediate area of Adam’s parents’ home, Israeli soldiers arrived just in time to prevent further tragedy.
Adam and his family lost a number of friends and neighbors as well as some taken hostage. After a few days, they were transferred to Eilat. Adam’s tennis wheelchair was stuck in their home and there was a special mission to “rescue” it from what was then a closed military zone, so that Adam would be able to continue training.
Over the course of the two years following October 7th, the family moved five times, between Eilat and Houston, TX, and ultimately, this past summer, back to their home in Nir Yitzhak.
Throughout the two years, in Eilat and Houston, Adam trained as much as he could, though without a coach.
Although Adam lost his ranking and lost months of competing which is imperative in the world of professional tennis, he made it to the 2024 Paris Olympics. He was one of the two flag bearers at the opening ceremony. Thirty children from his kibbutz were flown to Paris to cheer on Adam at his games.
When Adam and his family finally returned to Israel in the summer of 2025, he immediately resumed regular training at the Israel ParaSport Center with his longtime coach, Ofer Sela. Today, he is on his way to Australia to compete in two major international tournaments.
In the interview below, Adam talks about his return to professional tennis, the role of the Center in supporting his training, and his goals for the road ahead.
An Interview with Adam, January 8, 2026
Q: Since the events of October 7th, 2023 and your family’s displacement for almost two years, how much have you been able to compete on the international circuit?
Adam: Since that day, I’ve competed in about 15 tournaments, including the Paris Olympics in 2024. It might sound like a lot, but relative to what is actually required to stay at the elite level, it’s quite low. In a “normal” year, the schedule is much more packed.
Q: You’ve faced so many transitions and relocations over the last two years – five moves in total between Eilat, Houston, TX, and ultimately back home this past summer. How did that affect your ability to train?
Adam: It was incredibly difficult. While we were in the U.S. for one and a half years in total, I was training without a coach. Trying to progress at a professional level while also worrying about the financial burden of not working full-time and the emotional weight of moving with my wife and young children to a new country was a constant struggle. Leaving them alone there to travel for tournaments was something I couldn’t do very often.
Q: Does it feel like you are now making a more “official” or serious return to the professional track?
Adam: Definitely. Since returning to Israel, my training has become much more serious, actually more serious than ever. I am investing everything I have into tennis now. I’ve reunited with my coach, Ofer Sela, and I’m working with Efrat Pinhasov, the Israel ParaSport Center’s sport psychologist. And my improvement is significant.
Q: What is making you invest more than ever in your tennis now?
Adam: I was already a hard worker before October 7th. But when I saw people who worked hard their whole lives and then, in one second, it was all over for them, it made me realize that I want to give tennis a real chance while I still have the opportunity. It made me want to go all the way with it now.
Q: What are your expectations for your upcoming competitions in Australia and beyond?
Adam: I have very high expectations. I feel like I am currently in the best form of my career. I’m playing at my highest level and I’m ready to give everything on the court.
Q: Looking at this iconic photo of you carrying the flag at the Paris 2024 Paralympics… what goes through your head when you see it today?
Adam: I feel pride and a sense of relief. It was so important to have that opportunity to raise our flag high in those moments for all the hostages, those killed, and the soldiers. It represents why I do what I do.
Adam’s journey is just one example of how the Israel ParaSport Center empowers athletes to turn adversity into achievement. Thanks to the generous support of our donors, the Center’s coaches, facilities, and holistic programs are able to continue helping athletes like Adam overcome challenges and pursue their dreams.