Our History

First Steps

In early 2000, Caryn Green, social worker and ola chadasha (new immigrant), began seriously discussing the need to open a drop-in center for troubled English-speaking teens. The dialogue, which continued for roughly a year, was held between Green and a group of relevant organizations including:

  • The American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee
  • Ashalim
  • The Ministries of Education and Social Affairs
  • The Devorah Foundation
  • The Jerusalem Municipality
  • ELEM Youth in Distress in Israel
  • The Jewish Agency For Israel
  • Keshet

Meeting Needs

Following that in late 2000, the Jewish Agency leased to Green the offices that today comprise the Crossroads Center. Renovations were made to the Center space at the same time as streets outreach began, so that when Crossroads officially opened on January 1st, 2001, a group of teens was waiting to come in.

Caryn Green, M.S.W., was born and raised in Tyler, Texas. She received her BA at The University of Texas and her MSW from Wurzweiler School of Social Work at Yeshiva University in New York. Caryn moved to Israel in 1996 and began work with mentally ill young adults at Machon Summit. The following year she joined the professional staff of the children’s ward of Eitanim Psychiatric Hospital in Jerusalem. Along with her duties at the hospital, Caryn began working with youth at risk on the streets of Jerusalem. Caryn founded Crossroads in 2000 and has worked with English-speaking Israeli youth for over fourteen years. Caryn stepped down as director in April 2010, to current our Director, Robbie Sassoon.