As part of our mission to promote accessibility and awareness of mental health for everyone in pubic and social discourse, we are constantly working to expand awareness of the values of sharing, listening, and asking for help.
We are expanding ERAN’s activities to new and wide audiences by connecting with the community, fostering social collaborations, launching advertising campaigns, recruiting leading public figures, and conducting activities on all digital, television, and advertising platforms. Our goal is to bring the values of mental resilience to every home in Israel.
The Community Relations and Projects Department at ERAN is a central growth engine for the organization’s activities. This department focuses on developing innovative and cross-sectoral initiatives, collaborating with educational institutions and communities, managing public inquiries, leading workshops and lectures to deepen understanding and accessibility to mental health topics, fundraising to expand services, and supporting the recruitment of volunteers from all parts of society. In addition, the department is responsible for managing content and community engagement on the organization’s digital platforms, including the new website, where we have established a diverse and extensive knowledge center.
Awareness Week was created from the belief that each of us has the ability to help someone in distress around us.
Since 2018, ERAN has led a major communications initiative for a week in January, concluding on January 12th – matching the ERAN’s hotline number. This initiative calls on the public to be attentive to their surroundings, notice signs of distress, and not be afraid about asking if everything is okay and offering help.
Each year, the initiative focuses on a different topic or area, with the central message being the importance of asking questions and identifying signs characteristic of people dealing with mental difficulty, stress, anxiety, and distress. It also aims to break down myths and taboos surrounding mental health.
“It’s not just me and it’s not forever, everyone loses strength. There’s someone who hears me when I want to scream.”
A year into the “Iron Swords” war and following the events of October 7th, all our hearts have suffered greatly due to trauma, the harsh sights, loss, and hardship. We understood the immense importance of protecting our hearts, and one of the crucial ways to do this is through sharing.
During Awareness Week 2024, ERAN launched an important musical project, recruiting leading hip-hop artists: Nunu, Sherk, Cohen, Eden Derso, and music producer Ori Shochat. Each artist was given artistic freedom to write their verse, guided by the message: “To protect the heart it helps to share”. Music connects and heals the soul. It’s also present in the calls received by ERAN’s various helplines, which is why it was important to us that the song stand on its own and reach as many hearts as possible among young people, teenagers, and Israeli hip-hop fans.
The song was born from an initiative and collaboration with the advertising agency Yehoshua/TBWA, which has accompanied us for over 25 years, and the production company Double Cast.
On Saturday, October 7, 2023, Israel experienced the most severe series of traumatic events in its history: a murderous terrorist attack that affected thousands of families across the country and cast a dark and threatening shadow over all of Israeli society. That day, the journey to restore our mental health began. During that Saturday, ERAN’s helplines received 3,500 distress calls. ERAN’s staff and hundreds of volunteers manned the helplines throughout that dark Saturday and during the difficult days that followed. Every call was a heartbreaking cry, a personal story of trauma, loss, and vulnerability. It was important for us to document and film the testimonies of the volunteers who were on shift that Saturday, in order to learn, remember, and never forget what we went through.
Music is a constant companion on our life’s journey, through moments of joy and times of struggle. It offers encouragement, calm, and a space for emotions that can be hard to express. A single familiar tune or a beloved song can be a powerful reminder that we’re not alone, that there’s connection and purpose even amid our most challenging moments. Its words and sounds can touch our deepest feelings, offering solace and compassion.
Recognizing the central place of music, as heard in countless calls to ERAN, a special playlist was created by Yair Sadeh, an ERAN volunteer and forum manager. He compiled songs mentioned in conversations, suggested by fellow volunteers, and those that truly embody the values of ERAN.
You are invited to listen. Click here to listen
“Yes, it’s a wave and it passes, it shakes us.
To be torn apart and reconnect anew.
We will return to being ourselves. Together we shall overcome.”
The song “Together We Shall Overcome” was written as part of the support and strengthening process for ERAN volunteers who manned the lines during that dark Saturday and the difficult weeks that followed for all of us.
The song was penned by Dr. Michal Lev Ari, Director of ERAN’s online support service, composed by Tali Shapira Shachter, an ERAN volunteer, and performed by ERAN volunteers and staff. It emerged in the wake of the October 7, 2023, terrorist attack, stemming from the need to echo hope and serve as a reminder of the importance of strengthening mutual support during turbulent and challenging times.
We created the song and clip together with our partners who contributed their talent, professionalism, and time: Avshi and the Point2Point Studios team, Zohar Rabinovich and the B.Y Group Productions and Content team, Yishai Raziel on musical production, and Avi Singolda on guitars. The clip was produced and recorded under the sponsorship of Bank Hapoalim for the benefit of ERAN’s volunteers.
ERAN, in collaboration with ‘The Marker’, has created a special magazine to mark World Mental Health Month in October and two years since the outbreak of the war. This magazine sensitively addresses the various challenges facing ERAN, which serves as a source of national resilience for the general public and provides support and a safe space for hundreds of thousands of callers.
The project features 9 articles dealing with the distress calls that have come in the last two years to ERAN, new technologies being implemented, the mental state of the Israeli public, the challenges faced by Olim and new immigrants, and more.
The project was sponsored by our partners: Amdocs, Johnson & Johnson, and the Ministry of Aliyah and Integration.
To the Magazine
David Koren, CEO of ERAN, is hosted on Linoy Bar Geffen’s podcast “The Board of Directors” from TheMarker, marking two years since the “Swords of Iron” War.
Koren spoke about the amazing human capital that makes up ERAN: 1,800 volunteers who are standing guard 24/7 to provide psychological assistance to anyone who needs it. He discussed the introduction of technology into ERAN and the integration of AI tools in managing the assistance hotlines and training volunteers, a step that helps cope with the heavy load and better understand the needs of the callers. He also addressed the increasing pressure on the lines, the shortage of volunteers, and the nature of the calls.
Listen on Spotify | Listen on Apple Podcasts | Read the Article on TheMarker
6 months after the start of the “Iron Swords” War, on April 2024, a special broadcast day for ERAN took place for the first time on Keshet 12, hosted by Yoav Limor and Nesli Barda.
The broadcast featured the President’s wife, Mrs. Michal Herzog, and ERAN’s CEO, David Koren, who shared insights on the organization’s challenges and the changes in its volunteer structure since October 7th. Also present were Orna Neutra, an ERAN volunteer in New York whose son Omer Neutra, of blessed memory, is held captive in Gaza; Dr. Shiri Daniels, ERAN’s Professional Director; and Professor Eyal Fruchter, Chairman of the National Headquarters for PTSD. They discussed ERAN’s specialized support for soldiers and the challenges of coping after returning home from combat, among other topics.
The broadcast was made possible thanks to our partners: Bank Hapoalim, Materna, Machsanei Hashuk, Migdal, and Agendot.
L’Oréal Israel has chosen ERAN to lead a social initiative aimed at raising awareness and validating the full spectrum of emotions and feelings we all experience due to the unsettling security situation since the October 7th attack and the “Iron Swords” war. These emotions include worry, sadness, despair, longing, fear, heartbreak, loneliness, restlessness, and anxiety. At ERAN, you can find a safe space for every difficulty, pain, and distress, no matter how big or small.
“There is a place” campaign is spread nationwide, from north to south, to reach as many people as possible. It features billboards on major roads and in central cities, as well as extensive distribution across social media and digital platforms. The goal is to reach all citizens of Israel, of every age and in every location, offering them anonymous and immediate mental first aid.
The “Brave Together” initiative was developed in response to the COVID-19 crisis, when lockdowns and social distancing impacted the mental health of many young people.
The “Brave Together” program is part of a global social initiative by Maybelline New York, in collaboration with the expert community of ERAN, to shatter stigmas surrounding anxiety and depression and offer access to immediate, anonymous, discreet, and free mental first aid for anyone who needs it. This initiative provides accessible support tools, including identifying signs of distress, methods of assistance, finding resources, and seeking help.
The project featured online influencers such as Sivan Tam, Shayna Haydi, Aviv Nes, Omri Malinsky, and Shira Bar.
Our podcast, “There’s a Place to Talk About It,” featured online creators and influencers like Maya Dagan and Bat Shai, Bar Almaliach (HaPashuta) and Noya Cohen, Aviya Farhi and Racheli Rotner, Idan Naiditch and Alex Schultz. It provides a space to discuss daily struggles during the war. The podcast was created in collaboration with the Blink influencer agency.
After October 7th, many Israelis felt their personal difficulties and struggles were dwarfed by the new reality we all live in. The podcast gave room to all these feelings and helped echo the message that we all cope with difficulties or distress, big or small, that they have a place, and it’s okay to talk about them.
A public service announcement video, a collaboration between ERAN and MTV Israel, was released during World Mental Health Awareness Week. It urged young and adult audiences to take care of their mental well-being, seek treatment, and offered various ways to do so.
ollowing the complex security situation and cases of suicide among security forces personnel, the ERAN association, together with Meta Israel, initiated an event for content creators to raise awareness of distress signals for suicidality and provide mental first aid.
Among the participants in the event were: Haim Etgar, Guy Hochman, Natalie Dadon, Danny Buller, Alex Shultz, and others.
Following the complex security situation and suicides among security forces personnel, Meta Israel, in collaboration with ERAN, initiated an event for content creators to raise awareness of the signs of distress for suicide and provide psychological first aid.
In addition, a campaign was launched together with Hanoch Daum to raise awareness of suicide prevention among soldiers, reservists, and security forces.
In March 2023, a new social initiative was launched under the hashtag #TalkingWithERAN, in partnership with TikTok Israel and led by Agendot and Peach Content We Like. It featured prominent online creators such as Shahar Cohen, Talia Bartfeld, Itamar 180, Shahar and Oren, Liran Rosen, Omer Goeta, Eyal and Itzel, and Noam Battan, among others.
The goal was to encourage a conversation of sharing, listening, and acceptance. Within ten days of the campaign’s launch, it garnered over 31 million views, and ERAN received hundreds of inquiries from teenagers who contacted the helplines for the first time. As part of the campaign, the online creators shared disruptive videos to convey the message that sharing and conversation can help in coping with emotional turmoil, and to encourage viewers to share their own personal stories. The videos raise awareness that “even strong people have weak moments,” and it’s important for everyone, in any situation and with any type of mental distress, to know that they can turn to ERAN for sharing, assistance, and support – not just in extreme cases. The “Talking with ERAN” initiative won third place in the ‘Granot’ Social Award, Israel’s creative competition for that year.
An influencer campaign by ERAN, together with TikTok Israel and the digital agency Havas Blink, in which influencers from various fields creatively published ERAN’s phone number, 1201, and raised awareness for ERAN’s services among the young audience on social media. Among the influencers who participated in the campaign: Shahar Livne, Shoval Mor, Or Spitz, Shiran Matityahu, Shayna Heidi, Adi Petri, Yoni Elmkies, and more.
The ‘A Day in a Life’ project follows leading television and entertainment personalities, including Danny Kushmaro, Galit Gutman, Ayala Hasson, Daniel Peretz, Maggie Tabibi, Guy Pines, Eran Swissa, and David Saar, revealing the person and soul behind the screen.
It explores how they cope with crises and difficulties, who is the first person they confide in, how October 7th impacted them, how they deal with talkbacks and criticism, and what challenges they faced on their path to success.
This campaign was created in collaboration with Solutions company, owned by Tal Bazanus, and is hosted by young social activist Or Levi. Its aim is to reach young audiences and students with the message that there is someone to talk to when encountering challenges, difficulties, and crises, especially concerning cyberbullying and dealing with criticism.
“You see me on TV, on stage, laughing, having fun, and feeling free. But when the cameras turn off, the lights go down, and I go home, it’s not always like that.” – Miri Mesika.
This significant social initiative launched in the summer of 2024 in the wake of October 7th and the “Iron Swords” war. It featured leading artists from the fields of music, sports, and entertainment: Miri Mesika, Harel Skaat, Nasreen Qadri, Maya Kay, Avi Aboromi, Tamir Steinman, and Lior Refaelov.
The campaign was created in collaboration with Solutions company, owned by Tal Bazanus. In response to the increase in young people seeking help from ERAN’s support services, it was published on social media, appealing to teenagers and children to share their feelings, support each other in moments of crisis, and maintain as much routine as possible.
Hosted by social activist Or Levi and creator Mai Sayag, the artists share personal stories from their daily lives – about the crises they’ve experienced recently, how they coped with difficulties and anxiety, and ask the children of Israel to share their feelings, maintain routine as much as possible, and strengthen close friends around them who need support.
Click here for the “Saluting the Children of Israel” playlist
