American Friends of ELEM

“There are no ‘good kids’ and ‘bad kids’ here. No one can say, ‘That could never happen to me.’”

In an interview with Galei Tzahal (Army Radio), Tali Erez, CEO of ELEM in Israel, discusses the challenges facing youth in Israel today. ELEM’s annual report documents a sharp increase in indicators of distress from 2025 to 2026, including a 70% increase in reports of self-harm and a 73% increase in expressions of anger.

These statistics are alarming, but there is also a path forward. It begins with one caring, trusted adult who says: “I believe in you.”

#ELEM #Israel #youth #notalone #mentalhealth