2026 ISRAEL MISSION
2026 ELEM MISSION TO ISRAEL
November8-15
Join us for an eye-opening mission to Israel, where you will experience ELEM’s work firsthand and see how we are helping ensure Israel’s future through its young people. Over the course of the trip, you will visit our shelters and community programs, meet the dedicated professionals on the ground, and spend time with the young people whose lives are being shaped and rebuilt through this work. Through these encounters, you will gain a deeper understanding of the complex challenges facing Israel’s most vulnerable youth.
This mission offers a rare and meaningful opportunity to connect directly to our work on the ground, witness impact up close, and become part of the story of resilience, healing, and long-term change in Israel.
THE EVOLVING REALITY IN ISRAEL
ELEM Updates from the Frontlines
As families rush to bomb shelters, young people already living on the margins are experiencing compounded trauma, instability, and fear For many, there is no stable home to return to. No consistent adult to reassure them. No safe place to process what is happening.
And in this moment,
"I'm exhausted. It's really hard for me."
These are the words of a mother from the North of Israel, a region that has experienced the heaviest bombardments this month. She works, runs a household, and tries to maintain a routine during days that don't feel like routine at all.
"The last few days have been very difficult," she says, worry and fatigue echoing through her voice. "The teenagers just can't find themselves. The boredom is strong, and my heart is not at peace. "
Yet despite the situation in Israel, despite the difficulty, ELEM is there.
"I'm lucky to have the ELEM team. They are there for them. I know that she [her daughter] is safe there. This space that you open for boys and girls, you have no idea what it is for them on days like this. You have no idea what it is for me."
The Impact of the War on Teens & Young Adults: Insights from the Ground
Based on field reports from frontline professionals at ELEM.
Digital Escapism and Sensory Overload
Increased use of digital content to create an emotional disconnect from the security situation and the "here and now. "
Denial and Apathy
Exhibiting "everything is fine" behavior and attempting to maintain a normal routine while ignoring real dangers
Lack of Protection and General Anxiety
Deep distress in homes lacking bomb shelters, particularly in Arab society and along conflict lines, alongside a severe blow to the ability to earn a living.
Seeking Thrills Under Fire
An increase in roofclimbing during bombings and dangerous use of weapons/knives as a response to apathy or a sense of helplessness.
Increase in Substance Use and Loneliness
Reports of increased consumption of drugs and alcohol
Many requests for help due to intense feelings of isolation.
Regression and Traumatic Freeze
A return to "childish" behavior patterns and difficulty in selfadvocacy due to the overlap of past traumas with the current situation
These particular days are increasingly difficult for families across lsrael. ELEM is on the frontline, providing the critical support youth need during this conflict.
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EM’s Purim party, which took place at one ts locations, during this month
our shelter in Jerusalem, youth participate a sushi workshop
Yoga class at one of our shelters.
At our center in Akko, volunteers visit youth in their neighborhoods and distribute gifts for Eid-al-Fitr.
Volunteers at our shelter in Jerusalem put together a Passover Seder
Volunteers at our center in Nof HaGalil prepare for the next activity
Volunteers at one of our centers in Tzfat
TOMER’S STORY
From COVID-19 to War
CLICK IMAGE TO WATCH A SHORT
CLICK IMAGE TO WATCH A SHORT VIDEO PRODUCED BY ELEM
ELEM IN THE NEWS
Article from Israel’s Maariv Daily Newspaper
Worrying Change in Recent Days in the Behavior of At-Risk Youth and Young Adults
March 11, 2026
Written by Yuval Bagno
As an organization that centers its work on highly marginalized groups, ELEM reports an increase in requests from young men and women for physical assistance and support spaces, alongside rising anxiety levels and substance use. Some young people living in independent co-
mmunity apartments are physically asking to come to support centers due to intense feelings of loneliness and the need for a safe, holding space during this time.
Additionally, a significant increase has been identified in the consumption of addictive substances, as well as difficulties and sometimes refusals by young people to enter protected spaces during sirens. Staff members report that some youth express what they describe as "passive suicidal ideation." According to them, the ongoing trauma of living on the edge meets the current security trauma, creating a combination that sometimes leads to "freezing" and an inability to act to protect themselves. Readmoreat
