Ronen’ is 22 years old. Over the weekend, he was at the Southern music festival. He went home early Saturday morning, before the terrorists arrived. Since the massacre, Ronen has not left his apartment, he is afraid to go out, and certainly does not feel able to work. The Otot staff attempt to help him, but Ronen feels powerless and lacks resources to take care of his most basic needs.

‘Elisheva’ is a 19 years old lone soldier in the IDF. She was among the partygoers at the music festival, and she managed to escape to her base. She is managing with great difficulty, and is plagued with great anxiety. She needs therapeutic accompaniment far beyond what the military mental health care currently provides.

‘Asher’ is 20 years old and lives in one of Otot’s young -adult apartments in Ashkelon without a fortified safe room. The building was directly hit by a rocket, so that his apartment – his home and only fortress – was destroyed. He was not in the apartment at the time of the attack. Asher says that the anxiety paralyzes him and prevents him from returning to the apartment to collect his belongings, or what is left of them. He needs so many basic items.

Besides Ronen, Elisheva, and Asher, there are some 70 other young people who are struggling in the Otot residences with very difficult feelings and an inability to function. For some of them, their income has stopped, which to begin with was not much above minimum wage. They know young people and soldiers who were injured, murdered or are still missing. There are also quite a few lone soldiers who faced with this unprecedented crisis, are completely helpless.

They need assistance that is not available elsewhere. Their families do not support them, not when they were younger, and not now. Otot is doing its best, but it is insufficient

What Otot needs most right now – a donation of $40,00 (or any other amount) to be used for:

• Food vouchers
• Clothing
• Mental health care until other public resources become available

Your gift that will be used to assist young adults such as Ronen, Elisheva, and Asher. It will prevent deterioration of their functioning, their health and mental health, and more importantly, prevent more severe consequences in the future. Staff will determine the needs and distribute the funds to be used exclusively for the purposes defined by the staff.

Otot – a Door to a New Life

Otot with its forty years of experience, operates apartments for young adults ages 18-26 without familial support who come from all sectors of Israeli society. Otot provides them with immediate housing, however their lack of family and any kind of benefits makes them even more vulnerable.

Thank you for your willingness to consider this request,

Alon Brami | Director of Community Partnerships | alonb@otot-il.org.il