About Us

ERAN provides Lifesaving Emotional First Aid Services, offering initial response and emotional support on the phone and online, while maintaining strict confidentiality and anonymity.

ERAN always here for you!

Each and every one of us,  our parents, our soldiers and our children, encounter difficult moments in our daily lives. Sometimes the crisis is intense and creates a feeling of helplessness together with the need for a sympathetic, non-judgmental conversation of support and empathy.

For five decades, ERAN volunteers have been reaching out to people in stressful situations, discreetly and confidentially.

The range of referrals to ERAN is broad and includes situations such as dealing with trauma, depression, economic distress, teen challenges, loneliness, violence, abuse, eating disorders, self-image and sexual identity, difficulty in raising children, distress of Holocaust survivors, anxiety, and more.

Establishment of ERAN

ERAN was established in Jerusalem in 1971 by Mrs. Maria Berta Zaslany in memory of her husband, Dr. Aryeh Zaslany.  For about 18 years, Dr. Zaslany served as the Head of Mental Services for schools in Jerusalem and as a psychiatric counselor in the Jerusalem Municipality.

He specialized in treating suicidal people and managed to convince many not to commit suicide. Dr. Zaslany died in 1968, at the age of 57, after a serious illness.

Following his death, his wife, Maria Bertha, founded the ERAN organization, which specializes in providing psychological support to people in distress.

The organization, whose first branch was located in Zaslany’s home, grew into a national organization with a network of volunteers throughout the country.

Today, ERAN operates the largest hotline in Israel and provides mental health services on the telephone and online to the entire Israeli public, anonymously and immediately.

Over the past year, volunteers have provided assistance to more than 300,000 calls, including 1,000 suicidal inquiries, in which ERAN volunteers have actually saved lives.

Our volunteers

ERAN volunteers come from a variety of professional backgrounds, but all of them have an attentive ear, an open heart and a willingness to help a person in distress

The volunteers undergo rigorous screening procedures, followed by long-term training that provides them with the ability to provide first aid on the phone or online.

There are more than 1,600 ERAN volunteers in 13 branches throughout the country, from Tel Hai in the north to Beer Sheva in the south, and 4 Branches in North America and Australia, providing response 24 hours a day, all year round.

ERAN needs volunteers in all languages! To volunteer click here

Our Mission

► To be a first responder by phone and/or online to any person experiencing emotional distress and to provide initial mental assistance and information, while maintaining confidentiality and anonymity

► To be a significant national organization in the field of initial mental care.

► Initiate and take part in national and international projects in the fields of mental health, welfare and social resilience.

► To promote the values of listening and empathy in Israeli society.

ERAN provides support to tens of thousands of applicants and operates hot lines available to various populations at risk:

 ERAN for Soldier and their family – *2201

Military service can present many difficulties and unique emotional pressures. Soldiers and their parents in distress can call ERAN, to speak about these sensitive issues.

 ERAN Teenagers and Youth – Online Emotional Aid by Chat / WhatsApp

Every year tens of thousands of children and youth experience problems in their family, conflicts between friends, social rejection, sexual abuse, physical or mental abuse and they contact ERAN for assistance.

 ERAN volunteers undergo special training to help these young adults and youth cope with their special problems.

 ERAN in Russian for immigrants from the former Soviet Union –1201, ext. 3

More than a million immigrants face daily absorption difficulties in Israeli society. ERAN volunteers assist immigrants in their own language.

 Special line for Holocaust survivors – toll free 1-800-24-1201 or 1201, ext. 4

In cooperation with the Ministry of Social Affairs and Social Services, the Society for Restitution of Property, Holocaust Survivors, and their families receive assistance from ERAN volunteers around the clock.

 ERAN in Arabic -1201, ext. 2  

In times of stress and anxiety, people prefer to speak in their own language. Arabic-speaking volunteers operate dedicated Arabic language ERAN lines, and are familiar with the distinct issues that exist within the Arab and Druze sectors in Israel.

 ERAN Online – eran.org.il

Even strong people have difficult moments and some of them prefer to share their inner world and express their feelings through writing rather than through conversation.
ERAN volunteers online are available to provide a written response between 12:00 and 0:00am, either by chat, WhatsApp, email, forum and text messages.

Our address:
P.O Box 7137 Natanya 4217002 ISRAEL Phone: +972-76-8844400