NEWSLETTER FALL 2023
YEA R S
GREETINGS FROM THE PRESIDENT Dear friends, This newsletter comes at a devastating time in Israel, leaving the population shocked and traumatized. The brutal attacks and numerous sirens are terrifying for people at home in their safe rooms and shelters; but for the kids whose homes are also dangerous places, they roam the streets paralyzed with fear. ELEM has Essential Emergency Services status and as such are anywhere these kids are, pointing them in the direction of shelter. ELEM normally works around the clock but since Saturday, ELEM has been packing two days in every 24-hour period. Now more than ever we all need to stand together. Now more than ever ELEM/Youth in Distress in Israel needs your help. On October 12th, we will be holding our annual Ray of Hope benefit, showcasing 40 years of life-saving work, from our modest beginnings to what is now Israel’s leading organization for troubled and at-risk youth. Back in the mid-90s, ELEM Israel still only employed four staff members. The headquarters was a small room in the Tel Aviv University where the four staffers rotated their seats by the office table. These days, however, we have a dedicated building in central Israel, we employ hundreds of exceptional professionals on staff, we’re special consultants to the United Nations, and share our knowledge both in Israel and abroad. Most importantly, ELEM has become a national organization our founders could be proud of. We’ve kept their vision alive for four decades and went beyond what they imagined originally when they first congregated in New York City in 1979. To this day, the founders cite ELEM’s existence as a miracle and one of their proudest, most significant achievements, in careers full of meaningful milestones. ELEM has existed for more than half of Israel’s life. ELEM is Israel. We see youth of all backgrounds, we push for policy change to improve young people’s lives, and we employ people from all parts of Israeli society. Please join us as we take a trip down memory lane. As always, your support means a lot to us and to the at-risk youth we serve in Israel. Let’s band together to ensure a healthy future for Israel’s vulnerable youth. In gratitude, Lenore Ruben, president. ELEM Youth Way Back When