By: Staff of Youth Futures, a program of the Jewish Agency for Israel
In one of Israel’s leading positive-intervention initiatives, The Jewish Agency’s Youth Futures program partners teen mentors with at-risk children for a long-term period of cooperative learning and growth. Through the Jewish Federation’s Annual Community Campaign, the greater Ann Arbor community helps to make possible the life-saving work of Youth Futures.
The Jewish Federation of Greater Ann Arbor supports Youth Futures in the city of Nof Hagalil in the central Galilee. The funds from the local Federation for the 2023-24 program year allowed Youth Futures to empower and transform the lives of vulnerable children and their families, guiding them to new personal achievements and providing them support during an incredibly challenging period in Israel’s history.
Youth Futures participants
During the 2023-24 academic year, Youth Futures operated in seven schools in Nof Hagalil, including five elementary schools and two middle schools. Their team consisted of seven Mentors, a community and family coordinator, and a director. The program served 112 children this past year, which represents, with their parents, a total of 336 direct beneficiaries. Among the Youth Futures Nof Hagalil families in 2023-24, 38% receive governmental social services, 40% are single parent households, and 14% of fathers and 20% of mothers are unemployed.
The Swords of Iron War that began in October 2023 has greatly affected Youth Futures families throughout Israel. As a result of the war, academic gaps due to school closures have widened, financial challenges have increased as parents lost jobs, and vulnerable families prone to high-risk behaviors have been under heightened stress. During the first few months of the war, Israel generally and Youth Futures specifically witnessed an alarming increase in PTSD, domestic violence, and emotional distress.
In response to the crisis, Youth Futures immediately adopted a comprehensive emergency strategy involving weekly in-depth assessments to identify urgent needs. The November 2023 Youth Futures national assessment revealed that, of the 980 children served across the country, 35% of families were displaced; 53% faced financial distress; and 56% of participants needed therapy. In response, Youth Futures embarked on a comprehensive set of measures, such as “Traveling Mentors” (face-to-face meetings between Mentors and evacuated children in their temporary communities), and opening 15 new Learning Centers nationwide to address the exacerbated challenges faced by Youth Futures children during the war. There are plans to continue to grow the number of Learning Centers across Israel, including a new center in the works for Nof Hagalil.
“Ruthie’s” Story: A bittersweet success story
Please note, due to the sensitive nature of “Ruthie’s” story, we are unable to share her real name or photo at this time.
Ruthie’s success story is bittersweet. She joined Youth Futures in 8th grade, with her school reporting that she was not forming friendships with her classmates despite being extroverted and having a seemingly positive attitude toward others. Ruthie’s mother, too, reported that Ruthie was very sociable and that she had a close family bond with her siblings. However, at their first one-on-one meeting, Ruthie’s Mentor noticed that she was shy and notably would not talk openly about her life. In a stark example, when asked what her dreams were, Ruthie said she has never had a dream, other than to get married so she could move out of her house – but she would not elaborate. During home visits, the Mentor noticed that although six people live in the house, no one other than Ruthie and Ruthie’s mother were ever around. It took six months for Ruthie to tell her Mentor that one of her brothers was in prison for a murder he had committed with a younger brother. Additionally, Ruthie’s mother forbade her from seeing friends in nearby Nazareth, and Ruthie was regularly lying about her whereabouts so she could see them.
The Mentor increased the number of meetings with Ruthie’s school counselor and principal, in order to brainstorm about how to help the girl. Meanwhile, in addition to their regular meetings, the Mentor sought additional state-funded mental health and other social services, and arranged for Ruthie to get homework help after school. Eventually, Ruthie reached the point where she could help another girl study for a math test, which raised her confidence. Toward the end of the school year, Ruthie shared with her Mentor that an argument with her mother had led to her being badly beaten. The Mentor shared this information with the school counselor, who continued to pursue state-funded support but distanced the school from any formal responsibility for Ruthie’s well-being.
Later, Ruthie arrived at school beaten and bruised; her father and brothers had beaten her together. This time, in addition to turning to the government’s social services, the Mentor, counselor and principal brought a social worker into the school. Over a meal, the social worker urged Ruthie not to return home until she fully explained what had happened. Among other details, Ruthie said that as a punishment for her behavior, she had not been given any food for three days.
The next day, a police investigator and a lawyer specializing in juveniles came to the school. At first, Ruthie refused to tell her story over again, but with encouragement from her Mentor, she eventually opened up and gave the officer and lawyer the details they needed. That evening, police officers came to her house to rescue her; she was taken to a center for girls under state care in southern Israel.
After some time, Ruthie ‘s Mentor was able to find out how to send her letters, and Ruthie responded. She reported that she was being treated well, that they were giving her a lot of therapy so she could process the trauma of her family situation, and that she nevertheless hoped to be able to return home. Simultaneously, the government’s social services department worked with Ruthie’s parents to develop the skills they needed for Ruthie to be allowed to return home.
After six months, Ruthie began returning home for visits, and eventually – Youth Futures staff have heard – she returned to Nof Hagalil and is now enrolled in the local high school. Ruthie’s family has forbidden her from staying in contact with her old Youth Futures Mentor, since they feel that the Mentor betrayed their trust. However, from the perspective of Youth Futures, the Mentor performed holy work with Ruthie, saving her both physically and emotionally. To the program’s organizers, the fact that the girl was removed from her dangerous home; the collaboration between the Mentor, the school and government services; and the fact that the family has been rehabilitated to the point that Ruthie was allowed to return, constitute a great success.
To learn more about Youth Futures or any of the other deeply impactful organizations in Israel that are supported by greater Ann Arbor’s Annual Community Campaign, contact Israel and Overseas Program Manager Amichay Findling (amichay@jewishannarbor.org) or visit JewishAnnArbor.org/About-Us/Community-Impact.
Youth Futures participants