Liel's Story

Empowering Youth

City: Beit Shean

"I did many activities before I came to ENP's Rasta Youth Outreach Center, but they weren't as fun or as meaningful as the activities I do here."

Liel is a bright 16-year-old with a radiant smile, who started coming to ENP's Rasta Youth Outreach Center in Beit Shean in 2012. There are a multitude of options open to Liel when she is at the Center, from extracurricular enrichment activities, to one-on-one emotional support, to leadership and mentoring opportunities. Liel reflects that, before coming to the Center, she was very shy and closed off, but that the bonds that she developed with her friends at the Center helped her become more outgoing and socially confident. Now one of Liel's favorite things to do is simply spend time with her friends at the Center. Liel also appreciates the Center's empowerment activities that teach her and her peers how to be leaders in their community. She particularly recalls a meaningful activity in which they sat in a circle with Nava, the Center Director, and talked about the history and stories of Ethiopian Jewry. Not only was this activity interesting, but it also helped Liel to appreciate her own unique cultural heritage. Liel hopes to one day become a fighter in the army and a heart surgeon, and there is no doubt that the invaluable confidence and skills that she has gained from her time at the Center will empower her to do so.