About ELEM
Founded in 1983 by a group of Jewish-American professionals and volunteers, ELEM/Youth in Distress in Israel is the country’s leading nonprofit supporting youth at risk. With four decades of hands-on fieldwork, the organization is widely recognized for its scale, expertise, and impact.
Mission
ELEM is dedicated to identifying and addressing the evolving needs of youth at risk in Israel by developing effective, culturally responsive solutions. Through both formal and informal approaches, it empowers youth, reduces harm, and supports their reintegration into society.
The organization serves youth from all segments of Israeli society, including Jewish, Arab, Christian, Druze, immigrants, asylum seekers, and LGBTQ+ individuals. While most of our work focuses on young people ages 12 to 26, we also serve children as young as 4 through specialized services. These youth face a wide range of challenges, including emotional crises, school dropout, social and familial rejection, substance abuse, sexual exploitation, violence, homelessness, and a lack of support systems.
Each year, over 15,000 youth are reached through the work of approximately 300 professionals and 1,200 trained volunteers. ELEM meets them where they are: on the streets at night, in schools, online, in community centers, and in public spaces. This approach allows for direct, non-judgmental support and the formation of trust-based relationships.
American Friends of ELEM is the U.S.-based partner organization of ELEM/Youth in Distress in Israel, dedicated to securing financial support and increasing awareness to sustain and expand programs that transform the lives of at-risk youth in Israel.
Vision
ELEM’s vision is a future where every young person in Israel who is traumatized, abused, homeless, or hopeless receives the mental health and life skills support they need. We bring this vision closer to reality every day through evidence-based innovative programs; testimony and advocacy in the Knesset; and partnerships with NGOs, municipalities, and national ministries. ELEM is integrated in diverse communities, so youth of all backgrounds and religions can be helped and healed, and Israel’s future strengthened.