Over 125,000 Israelis have been displaced following the events of October 7th. The Dead Sea area alone currently hosts 12,000 people, 2,000 of whom are youth.

With their world turned upside down, their homes burnt to the ground, friends and family murdered or held captive, saying that displaced youths are struggling is an understatement.

To that end, our biggest effort at this time is our pop-up safe spaces. We currently operate four, with plans to expand to a total of 20. 

These spaces are meant specifically for youth who’ve been evacuated and are located in towns hosting evacuees.

We opened the first locations right after the attacks and have already seen hundreds of youths, some of whom were at the Nova Festival massacre.

Thousands of Joyful Israelis at the Nova Festival Right Before the Horror

Every evening, teens come to the ELEM team to share their experiences and begin to process the trauma they endured during the brutal invasion of their homes. Our informal environment is often the only setting in which teenagers are willing to discuss their feelings, fears, and trauma.

Youth at One of Our Safe Spaces

Our consistent presence is extremely important since so many people who assist the evacuees come and go. Faces constantly change, and the youth, who were already uprooted, need stability.