NEW YORK (Press Release) – As Israel prepares for a new school year under the shadow of war, ELEM is launching the “Bring Our Youth Home” initiative to help children and teenagers who have been forced from their homes return to their communities, regain stability, and rebuild daily life. Since October 7th, the number of at-risk youth in Israel has surged, making this effort more urgent than ever.
The initiative focuses on Northern Israel’s hardest-hit communities, including Kiryat Shmona, Majdal Shams, the Mateh Asher and Upper Galilee regional councils, Mas’ade, and Ein Qiniyye, with a special emphasis on socioeconomically disadvantaged areas.
ELEM [transliterated acronym for Youth in Distress in Israel] works in partnership with the Israeli Ministry of Welfare and local authorities to provide tailored support in each location. Before establishing a program in a new community, ELEM conducts on-the-ground needs assessments and targeted outreach.
Each site will operate at least two of the following proven support models, which meet teens wherever they are: in school, in the community, or online:
School-Based Breathing Spaces (In-School Drop-In Centers): Informal spaces within schools that promote belonging, improve attendance, and provide emotional support, counseling, and referrals.
Street-Based Emotional Support Spaces (Outreach Vans): Mobile safe spaces that operate primarily at night in high-risk areas, reaching teens when formal services cannot.
Afternoon Centers: Community-based centers offering group activities, mentoring, and stability through trained professionals and positive peer engagement.
Virtual Emotional Support Spaces: Secure online platforms that provide counseling, real-time distress monitoring, and proactive outreach to isolated or homebound teens.
“These teens have lived through months of fear and uncertainty. Coming home is only the beginning,” Liora Attias-Hadar, CEO of American Friends of ELEM, said. “Together with our partners in Israel, we are committed to helping them feel safe, supported, and ready to rejoin their friends, families, and schools.”
The project was soft-launched in March of 2025 in Kiryat Shmona as residents began returning home. Now, it is officially taking off as the new school year is set to begin. ELEM expects to support approximately 320 teens per year in that community alone.
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Preceding provided by ELEM