ELEM UPDATES
Breathing Space (Dimona)
This past March, just before Passover, an Iranian rocket struck the city of Dimona, destroying an entire neighborhood. Dimona was already grappling with significant socioeconomic challenges. Over 400 residents children, parents, adults, and teens were evacuated to the Dead Sea as a result of the blast Following the impact and subsequent displacement of their community, the city’s youth faced compounding trauma. In response, ELEM created a new “Breathing Space” for the evacuees.
Located in a hotel at the Dead Sea, this space supports teens and youth whose homes were destroyed. ELEM’s team, which includes professionals from HaLev shelters in Dimona and Kiryat Shmona, as well as other employees and volunteers, are there providing the emotional support these youth need.
For Moshe Elad, manager of the Breathing Space and ELEM's Anashim Tovim (Good People) program, the work at the Space is not about logistics; it's about humanity.
"Living in a hotel for this period is heartbreaking, for adults and certainly for the youth,” he says. “And then when ELEM arrives, a true partnership begins with the youth. We support one another from the ends of the country and hear difficult stories all day long, even during
Passover But they [the youth] are grateful that the place has become something more than just a hotel. They found a home in the place. They found meaning, and even a quiet moment to play together without worry. "
The Space brought in 70-90 youth. Most of the families are beginning to return home or find other housing solutions. At the moment, there are currently talks on whether to continue the Space or close it
At one point, a man in a wheelchair approached ELEM staff at the hotel. Becoming emotional, he explained that in the early 2000s, ELEM helped get him off the streets, beginning with an encounter in an Outreach Van and a referral to one of their shelters.
It’s stories like this that remind us of the incredible lasting impact of ELEM’s work.
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.
ART AS TRANSFORMATION
An
Evening with Israeli Artist Dan Reisner
Art as Transformation Art as Transformation
An Evening with Israeli Sculptor and An Multi-Disciplinary Artist Dan Reisner INVITATIONONLY
Tuesday,May12 Tuesday, May 12
6:30PM:DoorsOpen 6:30 PM: Doors Open
7PM:Presentation/Q&A 7 PM: Presentation/Q&A
Private Address (Upper West Side, Manhattan) Addresswillbegivenuponregistration. Address will be given upon registration.
PrivateAddress(UpperWestSide,Manhattan)
We are very excited to host Israeli artist Dan Reisner for a special presentation and talkback in May. Dan, who is based in Tel Aviv, has installed over 20 permanent, large-scale sculptures in Israel and around the world. His work has been featured in major Israeli museums and galleries, including the Israel Museum in Jerusalem and the Tel Aviv Museum.
Through Dan’s sculpture, we glimpse into trauma, resilience, and the space between what we carry inside and what we show to the world. His journey to becoming an artist is deeply moving.
Our President, Lenore, originally met Dan in his Tel Aviv studio, where the inspiration for this event began She has graciously offered to host Dan for this presentation, during which the artist will discuss his artistic journey and how his work reflects the emotional realities of life in Israel today.
CLICK IMAGE BELOW TO WATCH A
CLICK IMAGE BELOW TO WATCH A SHORT REEL OF DAN’S BRONZE WORK DAN’S
FLORIDA TRIP
Inside Liora’s Visit
This month, Liora traveled across Margate, Palm Beach Gardens, and Boynton Beach, connecting with community members, speaking at synagogues, and sharing what Israel’s youth are facing right now
The trip kicked off in Margate where she attended Temple Beth Am’s Shabbat Services, speaking about ELEM’s critical role in helping Israel’s youth. Joining Liora the next day in Palm Beach Gardens was our Florida Development Officer, Sindy, who partook at Temple Beth David’s Yom HaShoah Vigil, standing in solidarity to honor the lives lost in the Holocaust
The day ended with a parlor meeting in Boynton Beach at the home of Jan and Mark Davis. Liora met with community members and discussed the crucial and evolving challenges currently facing Israel’s youth and how ELEM is responding on the ground.
The Florida Chapter’s May parlor meeting
(Left to right) Liora, Lori (Chapter Member)
The next night was our muchanticipated LOOTED ART presentation with Holocaust historian Dr Ruth Ann Kalish, taking place at the Canyon Branch library in Boynton Beach Hosted by the Florida Chapter, we had an amazing turnout of over 100 people. Liora introduced Dr. Kalish before discussing the current crisis among Israeli youth and the vital work ELEM has been and is continuing to do on the ground Dr Kalish took the stage and delivered a fascinating presentation on the history of looted Holocaust-era art.
Dr. Kalish presented a second night at the Glades Road Branch library in Boca Raton. Hosting these events during the week of Yom HaShoah added a profound layer of significance to this experience.
We are so grateful to Dr. Kalish, Sindy and the Florida Chapter for helping organize these events, and Phyllis, Chair of ELEM’s FL Advisory Council, for generously sponsoring them.
Dr Ruth Ann Kalish
A packed house at the Canyon Branch library.
(Left to right) Dr. Kalish, Sindy, Liora, Phyllis.
In a special Yom HaShoah event hosted by Esther Valencia Pointe, the local chapter of Hadassah, Liora joined the group for a discussion on youth aliyah.
“The future of Israel lays in the hands of the youth,” Liora said. “If we do not take care of them now, the future of Israel will be significantly weakened.”
Thank you to the Florida Chapter and all our hosts for such a meaningful welcome!
Liora speaking at Esther Valencia Pointe, the local chapter of Hadassah.
(Left to right) Sindy, Liora, Phyllis, Susan (Chapter Member), Helen (Chapter Member)
Hadassah members
APRIL QUARTERLY BRIEFING
Online Youth Culture with Maya Magnat
“Teens have grown up in times “Teens have grown up in times marked by instability and marked by instability and ongoing crises. The digital space ongoing crises. The digital space has become one of the few has become one of the few stable environments available to stable environments available to them. It is not simply ‘good’ or them. It is not simply ‘good’ or ‘bad’ but one that is both at the ‘bad’ but one that is both at the same time.” same time.”
For our second quarterly briefing of the year, we were joined from Israel by Maya Magnat, Digital Spaces Manager of ELEM's Digital Program, who presented about digital youth culture and ways to identify at-risk behavior online.
Across the globe, more and more youth continue to use social media platforms like Instagram and TikTok to express themselves, with some children accessing smartphones as early as age six. For at-risk teenagers, this is also an opportunity to illustrate their distress through special coded language and visual symbols that may look ordinary but have a significantly alarming meaning
Maya discussed in detail the work that ELEM Digital does to locate and work with these youth. This includes outreach on social media, anonymous chat support, and online therapy, all aimed at supporting young people aged 12-21 who may be experiencing distress online
The session culminated with a Q&A where we discussed the differences between American and Israeli teen usage online, the impact of algorithms on content visibility, and how ELEM handles critical situations involving suicidal or homicidal individuals.
