2026 ELEM Mission to Israel – Zoom Information Session (August)
August 13, 2026
Zoom
Uncategorized
Sharp rise in anxiety and depression among teens as they grapple with the effects of the war
A response to Tom Levinson’s article, “The War Has Created a Tsunami of Mental Health Casualties in Israel” (Haaretz, June 22).
“If we don’t support those who support others, there won’t be anyone left to be there when it matters.”
They listen, accompany, and hold for others what is too difficult to bear. But as the war drags on, there is a growing need to protect the field workers who are on the social frontlines of the crisis.
Meet Liora Attias-Hadar, CEO of American Friends of ELEM
Liora Attias-Hadar is the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of American Friends of ELEM, the U.S.-based partner organization supporting ELEM/Youth in Distress in Israel.
About half of teens prefer emotional support from chatbots rather than people
According to data presented yesterday at the Science and Technology Committee, 49% use AI for emotional support or counseling, and 20% view the chatbot as a romantic partner.
“The chat is my best friend.” What do we do when teenagers turn to aI to ease their loneliness?
While adults are convinced they’re using it to write school assignments, teenagers are actually sharing their deepest emotional struggles with AI.
The violence starts long before the knife is drawn
More and more teenagers are finding themselves in a violent reality that feels almost normal to them.
Not leaving them alone: the worrying rise in youth violence
The worrying data indicates that one in four teenagers in Israel experiences bullying (a figure that matches PISA findings in OECD countries).