REBUILDING Healing Hea
As 2026 begins, Israe remain in a critical pe recovery. While activ has subsided, the imp October 7 and the pr war continues to shap for thousands of teen young adults returnin communities marked displacement, and tra
American Friends of ELEM’s first campaign of 2026, Rebuilding from Within, focuses on supporting youth as they begin the long process of healing and reintegration.
Through ELEM’s holistic model of care, we provide consistent, trauma-informed support that meets young people where they are.
ELEM operates holistic models in several cities across Israel.
This campaign places particular emphasis on Ofakim and Kiryat Shmona, two communities among those hardest hit by the war. Ofakim was the site of one of the October 7 massacres, while Kiryat Shmona, located along Israel’s northern border with Lebanon, was evacuated for nearly two years and heavily damaged by rocket fire. Youth in these communities are now returning to environments that are still rebuilding physically and emotionally.
The campaign highlights ELEM’s in-school drop-in centers, afternoon drop-in centers, night outreach vans, and digital intervention programs, which together create a continuous safety net for youth in schools, neighborhoods, and online.
Maya Baron, Head of ELEM’s Trauma Department
All FL Advisory Council members are receiving the campaign emails.
We encourage and ask that you help amplify this effort by sharing the campaign with your networks, raising awareness about the challenges facing youth in these communities, and engaging with and sharing ELEM’s content on social media.
Learn more about ELEM’s work in Kiryat Shmona and Ofakim.
CLICK IMAGE TO WATCH VIDEO CLICK IMAGE TO WATCH VIDEO
ELEM’s work in Kiryat Shmona
ELEM’s work in Ofakim
If you haven’t done so already and are able to attend, we encourage you to register and invite friends and family to join as well.
Registration is open through Wednesday, February 18.
EMPLOYEE UPDATES
Welcome to the Team!
*TEAM UPDATE
Sindy Greenberg, our former FL Chapter Co-Chair, is now serving as our part-time Florida Development Officer, overseeing fundraising, community outreach, and leading the ELEM Florida Chapter.
Sindy Greenberg Development Officer, Florida
As a former Certified Child Life Specialist (CCLS), Sindy is dedicated to supporting children and families through life’s most challenging moments, combining professional expertise with compassion and empathy Her commitment to service began in her early teens with the Crohn’s and Colitis Foundation of America (CCFA) and has continued through leadership roles with Hillel, B’nai Brith, Hadassah, the ALS Foundation, and organizations supporting Israel and children and families in need Over the years, Sindy has contributed to numerous initiatives that strengthen the Jewish community and promote the well-being of youth.
“I am deeply passionate about helping those facing challenges and committed to advancing the extraordinary work of ELEM. It is a privilege to contribute to an organization that ensures the health, safety, and success of Israel’s next generation.”
We are pleased to welcome two new full-time employees to American Friends of ELEM.
Matthew Bussy
Communications & Partnerships Manager
Matt has nearly 10 years of experience in the Jewish nonprofit sector working in marketing, communications, film editing, program curation, website management, and copywriting, to name a few. He is a graduate of Temple University and works for Allied Global Marketing on the side, managing advance movie screenings throughout Philadelphia.
“ELEM’s work in helping at-risk youth is something that so deeply aligns with my Jewish values, and I couldn’t be more excited to be here and expand ELEM’s reach here in the USA.”
Maya Shelton
Administrative Assistant
Maya Shelton is a Brooklyn-born creative and community advocate who values service, connection, and impact. She is a graduate of Old Dominion University and deeply committed to supporting under-resourced communities through meaningful, peoplecentered work. A proud mother of two, Maya is passionate about building spaces where dignity, care, and community come first.
“I’m excited to join the ELEM team to continue the work of supporting youth and community care.”
NEWS FROM ELEM ISRAEL Development Services + Policy Advancements
Kiryat Shmona, located along Israel’s northern border with Lebanon and heavily impacted by the war, continues to rebuild. ELEM is in ongoing dialogue with the municipality to establish program stability for 2026, including expanding mobile outreach services to meet the ongoing needs of youth returning to the area.
In Bat Yam, ELEM has been selected through a competitive government process to operate a new therapeutic youth center, further strengthening the city’s holistic support model for at-risk youth.
In Arraba, ELEM has been selected through a competitive process to expand outreach services to two nights per week, increasing consistent support for youth in the community.
In Ofakim, ELEM continues to operate mobile outreach services while working to secure additional municipal support to complement existing philanthropic funding.
The Netanya and Yehud mobile units (Outreach Vans) closed at the end of 2025.
In addition to direct services, ELEM continues to play a leading role in advancing national policy to protect and support at-risk youth. Recent efforts include engagement with Knesset committees focused on:
Preventing the sexual exploitation of minors within local municipalities
Reducing violence among young people in Arab society
Addressing drug and alcohol use among adolescents, including the impact of social media
Promoting children’s rights, including prevention of bullying, social exclusion, and suicide
Strengthening support frameworks for survivors of sexual assault
NEW WEBSITE
Coming VERY Soon...
The team has been working endlessly on a brand new website for American Friends of ELEM. This new and improved site offers much easier ways to navigate through ELEM’s programs and learn about the rich history of this organization.
Please note that the URL for the site will NOT be changed. The URL will remain as ELEM.org.
The new site is almost ready! We guarantee this revitalized version of our current website is shinier and absolutely easier to follow.
NEW INSTAGRAM HANDLES
Follow FL Chapter and NextGen
ELEM’s Florida Chapter and NextGen have officially joined the Gram! If you ’ re on Instagram, be sure to follow these accounts below:
ELEM Florida Chapter: @elem_fl
ELEM NextGen: @elem_nextgen
And if you don’t follow us already, be sure to follow @elem_usa
These pages, as you see, are still very new, and we have much to post about this year. We urge you to help us spread the word about these pages and encourage everyone to follow us. Just one click and that’s all you have to do!
Creating these separate Instagram pages are a very beneficial way for us to expand our reach and introduce more users to American Friends of ELEM. In this day and age, the world is VERY virtual, so social media is definitely crucial for us to grow. We have plenty of posts in store.
WE THANK OUR CURRENT MEMBERS AND WARMLY WELCOME OUR NEWEST FLORIDA CHAPTER MEMBERS
Harvey Brandt
Linda Brandt
Susan Cohen
Mona Dabbon
Thomas Davidoff
Sheryl Davidoff
Janet Davis
Amy Eisinger
Rosalie Fiegoli
Linda Finkelstein
Judey Girshon
Flora Goldfarb
Edra Greenberg
Stanley Greenberg
Diane Guterman
Robyn Hockett
Barbara Kaplan
Carol Keehn
Robert Keehn
Heather Kravitz
Mona Kremin
Linda Leaventon
Barry Leaventon
Robin Levine
Helena Levitt
Bruce Levitt
Bruce Levitt
Margaret Mazel
Susan Moskowitz
Hope Pearlman
Susan Putterman
Lori Rabinowitz
Helene Reiffe
Phyllis Roberts (Chair)
Polina Roskin
Jan Ruben
Judith Sausen
Janet Schwarzer
Nora Shapiro
Sharon Sherman
Jody Steifman
Laura Vogel
Amy Weishaus
Silvia Wieder
Adeline Wiener
