For decades, ELI, the Israel Association for Child Protection, has been at the forefront of protecting Israel’s most vulnerable. Founded in 1979 by Dr. Hanita Zimrin, ELI was the first organization in Israel to confront the realities of child abuse head-on. Since then, it has grown into the country’s most recognized authority on child protection, acknowledged by the Israeli government and countless other human services agencies as the sole organization dedicated exclusively to addressing all forms of child abuse including physical, sexual, emotional and neglect.
The past year has pushed the limits of trauma and the resources available to treat it. In the aftermath of the Oct. 7 massacre and the outbreak of the Iron Swords War, ELI has experienced a dramatic surge in referrals. In 2024 alone, the organization handled 10,279 cases with 77% of them related to sexual harm. Even more staggering is the realization that only 17.6% of children report the abuse themselves. Most reports come from professionals or family members, underscoring the ongoing need for awareness and intervention.
“The increase in referrals is alarming,” says ELI president Eran Zimrin. “The war has created a storm of complex trauma, especially in children, and the state’s resources have not been able to keep up with the long-term care needed. That’s where ELI steps in.”
In response to the emergency, ELI launched its own treatment fund to provide free trauma support for those affected. Among the 2,000 people treated through this initiative were 700 children, 100 foreign workers, 200 older adults, and 40 Holocaust survivors—a painful reflection of how wide the trauma has spread.
What makes ELI’s approach unique is its deep understanding that abuse and trauma ripple far beyond the individual. Therapists work not only with the child but with the family unit, including siblings, parents and sometimes even the perpetrators, to break cycles of harm and begin meaningful healing.
Therapists based throughout the country are now seeing numerous victims on a daily basis.
Some come to talk. Others can only cry. Still others—like one young boy who had to be coaxed out of hiding in a closet to attend his murdered parents’ funeral—remain frozen by fear.
“There were days when the centers were empty, and then we realized people were at funerals,” says one ELI therapist. “Then they would come back. Then the grieving would start again.”
Grandparents like Rivka Bira, who lost her granddaughter Tair in the Oct. 7 massacre, share the heartbreak of memory. “She used to come and hug me every day. I don’t know what she went through in her last hours,” Bira says, her voice shaking. Bira’s Indian caregiver, who stayed with her in the safe room during the attack, now refuses to leave her side.
The trauma is also physical. Children vomit from anxiety. They don’t sleep. They ask questions no parent is prepared to answer. Mazal Rossi, a nurse and mother from Sderot, recounted hiding with her children in their safe room for more than 24 hours, clutching knives for protection while gunfire rang outside. “Our children are traumatized,” she said. “They ask, ‘Who will help us?’”
At the heart of ELI’s success is a therapeutic model that encourages expression and trust. Children are guided to communicate in whatever way feels safest to them. This can be through painting, storytelling, music, clay or conversation. Therapists help them regain a sense of control in a world that’s been turned upside down.
“Reality is like a winding road,” Zimrin explains. “We cannot see the light at the end of the winding tunnel, but we must understand that the light is beyond the bend. What matters is helping them get through today.” ELI’s team emphasizes the importance of face-to-face connection, family support and recognizing guilt. It’s not as something shameful, but as a legitimate emotion that must be expressed, not buried.
The organization also reminds the public that even in times of collective crisis, the signs of abuse don’t disappear. They are often magnified. In 2023, 16.5% of all referrals to ELI came from survivors of the Oct. 7 attacks. The majority of cases were related to sexual abuse, with a shocking number, nearly 42%, involving abuse carried out by other children.
As the nation continues to process its trauma, Zimrin poses the question that haunts every therapist and parent alike: “Who will take care of their resilience in the future?”
In the absence of long-term government programs for trauma recovery, ELI continues to serve as a vital safety net. But the need is growing, and the stories are only getting heavier. With each child who finds the courage to speak, with each family that begins the slow work of healing, ELI reaffirms its purpose: to protect, to restore and to ensure no child walks this road alone.