Max Mazin was born in 1923 in Horodziej, a small shtetl in present day Belarus. In 1941, Max and his brother, Shaul, escaped the German invasion and reached the Siberian town of Chelyabinsk, where they survived the war. The rest of Max’s family was killed in July 1942 and buried in a mass grave in Horodziej.
After the war, Max left Siberia, moving from Poland to Czechoslovakia to Germany until he finally reached Gante, Belgium, where he found the sole survivor of his mother’s family. Knowing that he had to break free from the cruel world he had known until then, Max moved on, arriving in Madrid, Spain, in 1950. With no attachments elsewhere in the world, Max decided to settle in Madrid.
It wasn’t long before Max Mazin became the architect of the reconstruction of Jewish life in Spain, serving devotedly as vice president and then president of the Jewish community of Madrid for 18 years. During that time, he secured the legal recognition of the Jewish community of Madrid from the Spanish state, a permit for the construction of the first synagogue in Spain since the 15th century, and an official document recognizing the de facto abolition of the Edict of Expulsion of the Jews from Spain in 1492. Until his very last moments, Max was heavily involved in Jewish life in Spain and committed to the defense of the State of Israel, the two passions that defined his life.
An extremely successful businessman, Max was dedicated to the creation of representative bodies for business associations in Spain while maintaining a strong interest in education and its life-changing impact. He was a counselor in numerous universities, cultural foundations and various educational programs that he helped establish.
Keenly aware of Max’s unconditional love for Israel and his commitment to empowering others through education and care, Max’s family decided to support ADI (formerly ALEH) and its profound dedication to education and the wellbeing of Israel’s most vulnerable children and young adults. Immediately after his passing, Max’s family chose to honor his memory by establishing The Medium Classroom Wing at ADI’s beautiful residential and rehabilitative center in Jerusalem.
Extremely impressed by ADI’s work for the welfare and development of the children at ADI, the Mazin family decided to expand their commitment to ADI’s work. Thanks to a legacy established in memory of the family’s patriarch, the Max Mazin Summer Camp was founded to enhance the lives of ADI’s residents and students in Jerusalem every year since 2015.
Summer programming is vital for ADI’s residents with severe disabilities, as it provides a variety of special activities and outings that broaden horizons and offer new opportunities for advancement and inclusion. It is also a critical framework for ongoing medical treatments, therapeutic care, and individualized growth and development.
An unparalleled legacy of caring and empowerment, the Max Mazin Summer Camp at ADI Jerusalem ensures that Max’s memory lives on through the laughter and joy of ADI’s children.
YOUR Legacy of Caring: Remembering ADI in your will or bequest will create a lasting impact by assisting in the ongoing rehabilitation and advancement of ADI’s residents with severe disabilities.