The past several years — and especially the October 7 war, along with "Operation Rising Lion" (armed conflict between Israel and Iran, June 2025) and "Operation Roaring Lion" (current war between Israel and Iran, 2026) — have been characterized by an ongoing security and social reality of uncertainty, frequent changes, and instability. This period has included, and continues to include, a sequence of events, crises, and periods of rebuilding and reorganization, which have affected daily life in Israel over an extended period of time. 

For teenagers — especially those who were already facing risk situations and distress — this prolonged reality has compounded existing challenges and shaped the conditions of their development, relationships, and daily coping.

ELEM, the organization for youth in situations of risk, is presenting today (Sunday) its annual report to President Isaac Herzog, revealing a difficult and unprecedented picture of the youth the organization encountered in its various programs and residential facilities, in partnership with and funded by the Ministry of Welfare. The troubling data points to a deepening crisis among teenagers, one that has intensified following the war. Over the past year, the organization worked with approximately 15,000 boys and girls, of whom more than 3,100 respondents participated in the survey sample.

The report emphasizes that in 2024, teenagers drew on their survival instincts and coping resources, but in 2025, as the intensity of the security emergency declined, the trauma resurfaced and became an open, visible fracture. The report also includes concerning preliminary data from the beginning of 2026, showing a 70% surge in reports of self-harm and a 73% increase in levels of anger following the renewed security escalation. Approximately 10,000 requests for support from teenagers were recorded during the year through ELEM’s digital assistance network.

Violence stands out in the report as one of the most significant phenomena emerging from the data: one out of every two teenagers in the sample was exposed to at least one form of violence. Among the teenagers who experienced violence, many were exposed to three to four different forms of violence, with a dramatic 135% increase in online violence and a significant rise in violence within the home.

Another concerning trend emerging from the report is the widespread use of intoxicating and mind-altering substances. Approximately 66% of all teenagers encountered by ELEM staff this year reported using alcohol, compared with 45% last year. Alongside alcohol use, there is also a high rate of drug use: 45% of teenagers reported this year that they had used illegal substances — an increase of 19% compared with the previous year.

At the same time, more than 40% of teenagers reported feelings of loneliness, depression, and anxiety, with the figure reaching approximately 63% among girls. One notable finding from the report: youth who experienced loss show a rate of suicidality 3.7 times higher than youth who did not experience loss (45% compared with 12%). 54% of teenagers were exposed to at least one form of violence outside the home. 51% reported that they had been victims of sexual violence. Approximately 45% of girls reported emotional distress, compared with 21% of boys (girls reported self-harm four times more often and eating disorders three times more often).

“This year, we are no longer talking only about distress — we are talking about escalation. More than half of the boys and girls we met were exposed to violence, and 53% were exposed to violence outside the home. Violence is no longer a marginal or isolated phenomenon; it has become part of the everyday reality for many teenagers,” says Tali Erez, CEO of ELEM.

Erez adds: “On the ground, we meet teenagers living between anxiety, loneliness, and disconnection, alongside anger that is sometimes translated into violent behavior. After years of crises and uncertainty, this is no longer a reality limited only to extreme cases — it is a reality affecting almost every home in Israel. When a teenager feels they need to carry a knife or pepper spray in their pocket in order to protect themselves, this is no longer only their personal problem; it is a question about the society we are becoming. That is why national, cross-sector action is needed — one that sees teens and their full range of needs.”

President Isaac Herzog addressed ELEM’s troubling findings: “The difficult data emerging from ELEM’s report is not merely a snapshot of the situation — it is a test of Israeli society. The way we choose to see young people struggling with distress, and our willingness to extend a hand to them in time, will shape the character of the country in the years ahead. We cannot accept a reality in which violence, loneliness, and despair become part of young people’s daily lives.”

Rabbi Shai Piron, Chair of ELEM and former Minister of Education, added: “ELEM’s report reflects a reality that cannot be ignored. As an organization working on the front lines with youth in vulnerable situations, we are identifying alarming trends that require a broad systemic response. ELEM works every day for youth at risk, but targeted responses alone are not enough.”

The report calls for a change in approach: not only treating “youth on the margins,” but establishing a broad support system for all teenagers, as risk has become widespread. ELEM continues to operate services for its core population — youth and young adults without family support, disconnected from frameworks, experiencing distress and exclusion, who are forced to face the challenges of the current period alone.

ELEM’s staff members and volunteers meet these youth and young adults in youth centers and on the streets; in 24/7 centers providing continuous care for those experiencing prostitution; in shelters for young women experiencing homelessness; in programs for youth and young adults who have experienced sexual violence; in projects for young mothers at risk; and in treatment centers and therapeutic groups for youth who have harmed others or been harmed through sexual violence.