Yosi's Story

"My name is Yosi, and I am a 19 year old soldier in the Givati unit. I am the fifth of nine children in my family, originally from Ethiopia.

At age 14, I was slowly drinking my life away with a group of delinquents in the public parks of Rechovot. I hated going to school, and home was too intense.

I remember one night on a bench, two guys joined us. They seemed like they were in their early 20s. They took out some snacks and shared them with us, and started talking.

They asked me about my life, and at first I laughed in their face, but as the night went on, and during the following weeks we saw them more and more. I found that if I had a question, or was annoyed at one of my brothers or at school, Shai, one of the guys listened, and worked with me on a solution.

I remember the night that Shai suggested that I enroll in a professional computer technician program operated by ELEM’s Migdalor Project. At first I was offended that he thought I was ‘at risk’ of wasting my life and that he would propose computers, which I thought was for nerds. I was embarrassed to share the idea with my friends and blew him off. But Shai was so persistent. He didn’t let it go, and I relented.

It’s funny, but that night changed my life. By going to the class I didn’t just earn a skill, I found that I was worth something. It wasn’t long before I became an instructor to the other kids that came in, and at 16 and a half, I had my certificate and started working for major high tech companies in the summers. After a series of rigorous boot camps, I was recruited for one of the IDF’s elite military units – Sayeret Matkal and ultimately decided to be a combat soldier in Givati.

It scares me to think what would have happened had I not met Shai and the other ELEM volunteers. I sometimes walk that park, now in my uniform, and look at the kids drinking and smoking, hoping that ELEM will be there for them too.

Migdalor, as its name alludes, was a real beacon for me.

Thank you ELEM.

Yossi"

The Migdalor (Beacon) In Rehovot:

The proceeds from the event will support the Migdalor (Beacon) Center in Rehovot.
The Center serves youth from a predominantly Ethiopian immigrant community.

Hundreds of children from that community take part in the rich after-school activities of the center.
Doing so helps them reach their full potential and avoid the path toward life on the streets, alcohol, drugs and crime.

At the Center the children engage in academic studies, community gardening, workshops about topics such as sexuality and substance abuse, athletics, music lessons, computer activities - and a lot of ART.