Saving Israeli Youth: One Soul at a Time

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Saving Israeli Youth: One Soul at a Time
Posted on December 9, 2011 by ELEM-Entry


On Thanksgiving Day, I arrived at 9 Reshit Chochma Street. At first I was unsure where I was. I was not in the prettiest of neighborhoods. After hanging out on the street for a few minutes, the ELEM van loaded with social workers and volunteers who coordinate the “Someone to Run With” program arrived.

I introduced myself to Natalie, a social worker who has been running this program for the last four years. She and her dedicated volunteers work arduously to improve the lives of adolescent and young adult immigrants (ages 18 to 25) who came to Israel alone or whose families disintegrated after they arrived. These young people are often drug addicted and wander the streets without knowing how to find help.

Natalie and company began setting up tables with food, unloading suitcases filled with clothes, games and musical instruments in a small park across the street from a building that within the next few weeks will be an ELEM therapeutic home.

Pretty soon a handful of adult males walked into the park and were greeted with hugs by the ELEM activists. Most looked clean. Some looked like the average person you’d find hangin’ out in the East Village. But they all walked over to the suitcases to look for clothes. A few women arrived, too. These people live on the street. For many, the only help they get is from ELEM.

ELEM is Israel’s leading non-profit organization dedicated to the treatment and rehabilitation of abused, neglected, and adjudicated Jewish and Arab Israeli youth. While we can’t solve everyone’s problems, a lot of preventive help is provided to the youth. Many of the people in need are drug addicts or prostitutes. Needles and condoms are given out for protective needs.

Those in need gathered around the picnic tables. They started chatting about their lives and what they wanted to change. Some wanted to find employment, stop using drugs or get out of prostitution. Many were sexually abused at home and ran away. But they realized that they could make money in exchange for sex. ELEM activists listened to them. The volunteers were the only people they had to talk to. They played chess and music together. It gave people leading the kind of lifestyle I could never imagine a chance to feel better.

As they were chatting, activists began preparing sandwiches. They asked me to join them. I was really excited when they handed me a turkey and hummus sandwich. So it was hummus and not cranberry sauce. But this was the best way to spend Thanksgiving. Rather than sitting around the table with a football game blasting in the background, I witnessed people in need get help. Yeah, I explained the U.S. Thanksgiving. Not really understood. But they passed me more turkey. I smiled.

Natalie and I jumped into Karen’s car and drove to South Tel Aviv. It kind of reminded me of Times Square in the 70s and 80s. Natalie saw a man ELEM’s been helping. She walked right up and gave him a hug. Yes, he was high. He was alone. Nobody but the ELEM workers acknowledged him. He was given food and water. This was the first real meal he had in sometime.

We then walked over to a vacant lot that formerly served as a bus station. It was the place your mother warned you not to go anywhere near. Thankfully, my mom was 6,000 miles away eating turkey and hadn’t the slightest clue where I was.

Everyone in the lot was high. Natalie started approaching people to see if they needed help, some water or food. Sadly, one of the lot’s residents was a 27-year old woman who had received help from ELEM in the past. As we approached, we found her engaged in an act of prostitution.

She spoke to Karen and Natalie. She said she’d been drug free for over six months. But she was treated so poorly at the coffee shop she worked in, she started using again. She then began trading sex for money or drugs.

Next up was meeting Sarit and Vered on Habanim Street. The ELEM van was parked near a courthouse and art museum. Approximately 30, 14 year-olds were there. They came every Thursday.

Some of these kids either came from poor families where their parents didn’t care about them. Others came from wealthier families. In these cases, their parents were to busy and outsourced raising their kids.

Many of these teens found their escape in beer. Most have poor concentration skills. But every Thursday, the ELEM volunteers are there for them with snacks and support. Vered and Sarit gave each teen personal attention. They also sat in groups and talked about what was going on in their lives.

Most had the common teenage troubles, issues with boyfriends or girlfriends or school. But they all shared neglect from their parents.

One female proudly came with a bottle of Coke and was pouring cups of it. She made sure the ELEM crew knew about this. It was not so long ago she would show up with a six-pack and give out beer. Clearly this was a step in the right direction. I happily sipped a cup of Coke.

Others took solace in the chance to hang out with others sharing similar problems. My sketchy Hebrew and their sketchy English made for interesting conversations. But I understood that these kids have more problems than most at their age and that they really need the work of ELEM.

Around midnight, Sarit, Vered and the other activists hopped into the van and rode around town looking for other kids in need.

This Thanksgiving, I’m thankful that I spent the holiday watching ELEM’s social workers and volunteers helping young adults living on the streets of Tel Aviv, and teens in need in Herzliya.

After witnessing first hand the lives these young people lead, I am also thankful that I have been part of making a positive change in their lives over the last nine months.

There are too many teens and young adults all over the world in similar situations. Groups like ELEM are making a difference and saving these kids one soul at a time. If more people would give their precious time to helping these people, we could change the world.