Shlomo's Story

Empowering Youth

ENP participant, Shlomo, demonstrated various behaviors that stifled his advancement in Israel society. After being expelled from school and missing his meetings with his probation officer, Shlomo soon faced court and possibly a verdict that could seriously stifle his future. Despite his troubles at school, Shlomo was often present at the Rehovot ENP youth outreach center. Shlomo’s involvement with ENP fueled the staff to support him through his challenges and defend his character, ENP’s faith in Shlomo helped him move past his mistakes and give hope for his future. In April 2007, after a series of lengthy court hearings, a verdict for Shlomo (name has been changed, was decided upon). Shlomo had attended all of the hearings on his own, and despite the fact that the hearing was not during the regular working hours of the Center staff, the staff from the Center decided to accompany Shlomo to the final hearing to demonstrate their support for him in one of his hardest moments. Two criminal files were opened for Shlomo in 2003, after which the court assigned him a probation officer. Shlomo was not in a formal school setting, as he had been expelled from his school. The school claimed that Shlomo's behavior was not suitable or acceptable for a school setting. The staff at the Youth Outreach center was in contact with Shlomo's probation officer who informed them that he was not showing up to their designated meeting times. The probation officer expressed serious concern for Shlomo and his situation. His officer was concerned with the future consequences of Shlomo not showing up for his meetings with the probation officer and keeping to the terms and conditions the judge had set for him. In light of all the information, the staff at the Center head about Shlomo and what the probation officer had told them. They decided as a team that they would commit to helping Shlomo. The first step was attending Shlomo's final hearing in court. The Center's job is to provide support for the youth who come through its doors. Shlomo was just one of the youth that needed help and the staff at the center did all in their power to help him succeed. The ENP's Youth Outreach Centers are an alternative place for kids to hang out. Shlomo began coming to the Milchen Center on a regular basis, participating in the programs, and volunteering to help clean up the Center at the end of the day. Shlomo began using the computers in the Center for creating and editing music, writing lyrics and composing songs. An expert on the music computer program, Shlomo began teaching other youth how to use the program. The computer teacher at the Center began referring to Shlomo as his "right-hand man." Shlomo was a tremendous help to both the teacher and all of the other youth in the computer room. In an attempt to lighten Shlomo's verdict and punishment, Shlomo's probation officer advised the staff at the Center to write a letter to the judge describing the work he was doing at the Center and his incredible behavior there. Shlomo, his mother, his lawyer, and the staff from the Milchen Center were all present at Shlomo's most recent hearing. Shlomo's positive involvement in the Center was a critical factor in the judge's decision. The judge clearly realized that when Shlomo is in a warm, loving environment, he acts differently. The judge then ruled that one of his criminal files would be closed and instead he would do community service hours at the Milchen Youth Outreach Center. Shlomo's story is only one of the success stories of ENP's Youth Outreach Centers. ENP is doing critical work to help the Ethiopian-Israeli community, child-by-child, to ensure a bright future for Ethiopian-Israeli youth and the State of Israel.