Life on the Streets: Unseen Struggles and Unexpected Heroes

It turns out, every city has people like this. Characters you might encounter occasionally, often hard to miss. They've found themselves living on the streets, sometimes sleeping in public parks, abandoned places, or on street benches. Many have no one else in the world but each other, and some have left behind families—sometimes even children—from whom they are mostly estranged. What they all have in common: nobody is born on the streets; everyone has a story of how they got there.

"The most bizarre story I remember is of a professor who once had an academic career, whose financial situation deteriorated to the point where he found himself living on the street," describes Itai Shai, a social worker. "When we met him, we had no idea who he was. On the street, people tend to look the same... In the end, when you haven't showered for weeks, grow your nails and hair long, and don't change clothes, you end up looking just like the other street dwellers around you."

Shai has been working as a social worker and team leader in Jerusalem's street dwellers unit for about a year. We speak at the end of another long day for him, between putting his kids to bed and handling personal life tasks. Yet he takes the time to share with me the significant work that is his true passion—work that occupies him day and night. Alongside him are seven other social workers, a department manager, and a guide, all sharing one crucial mission: to save the homeless on Jerusalem's streets.

So how does it happen? How does someone end up living on the street? Shai has a painful answer, highlighting the importance of our social solidarity: "In general, street dwellers are people who have reached a point where they detach from society or completely disconnect. This happens due to addictions, untreated mental health issues, sometimes paranoia or other complex situations, and gradually even the family connection severs. Someone who is addicted, for example, often prioritizes the addiction over family relationships."

"There are also perfectly normal people who unfortunately end up in such situations due to economic collapse, though it's less common. For instance, someone who had assets and lost them due to a divorce lawsuit, financial failure, or being fired from a steady job. Slowly, they have nowhere to live because rental prices are so high and continue rising, and the choice sometimes is simply to sleep wherever: on the street, in what we call 'zones'—abandoned houses they organize for themselves and use regularly. Gradually, you become more secluded, unreachable, your phone might get stolen, and you're pulled into a completely different reality—a 'bubble' of street life."

It's hard to understand how someone can choose or endure living on the street, yet you might reconsider once you grasp the psychology behind it. "As hard as it is for us to comprehend from the outside, there's something free and appealing about street life," Shai explains. "When you live on the street, you have no obligations, no rents or bills to pay, you live from hand to mouth and just get through each day. There are even those who manage to work while living on the street, like couriers, but it's rare since it's difficult to hold down a job when you don't know where you'll sleep. Often, nobody wants to hire someone who doesn't smell good, doesn't groom, and hasn't showered frequently because they don't have a place to clean up. They end up neglected and dirty."

(Photo: Shutterstock)

"Through street life, the deterioration and social isolation become significant. Gradually, even mentally, people reach severe distress, society rejects them, they become despondent and no longer seek help, feel disconnected, lose trust in society and institutions—and thus end up on the street. Sometimes people seem 'rough' or harsh on the streets, but often they are individuals with anxiety, distress, in severe mental health situations."

Amongst all this, street dwellers and addicts find ways to survive and maintain some dignity. "There are soup kitchens where they get food, or they gather alms. There are also facilities used as make-shift showers, and we even hold clothing and coat distributions every two weeks in our offices after collecting from people around Jerusalem and bringing them."

Believe it or not, there are also cultural supports. "Once a week, we run a day center open to homeless individuals from all over Jerusalem. They get breakfast and engage in group activities, including workshops like music and drumming sessions. During the year, we also hold Chanukah parties, Rosh Hashanah toasts, and more, trying to expand their world with more normative experiences."

(Photo: Shutterstock)

Despite the challenges, why would anyone leave such a situation, especially when daily demands are tough to meet?

"True, but there are good reasons for street dwellers to rehabilitate. Even though it may seem 'easy' to get free meals and clothes, not pay rent or take responsibility for anything—the street isn't easy. Some live at bus stations seeming to 'live well', happy, and rain-free but that comes at a high cost. For many, the ultimate price is frightening. You have to fend for yourself, have no fixed place to return to, no spot to clean yourself. No actual warm corner to lay your head at the end of the day, no protection. Everything gets stolen from you. Life becomes aimless. What do you do all day? Collect bottles, wander? There's no framework, no security. Sure, the street can entice, but eventually, people want out of that situation, yet they struggle with responsibilities, independence, and sobriety. Unfortunately, some remain on the street for life."

The Street is a Natural Habitat with Its Hierarchies

According to Shai, there's a clear hierarchy among the homeless, known only to those living it. "There are stronger people on the street, like criminals. And the stronger ones can push around the weaker individuals, steal shoes or coats from them while they sleep—valuables on the street—or exploit them. Street life has its pecking order, many recognize each other and find others in their situation to share a drink or stay nearby. This shows how, even in the most challenging situations, there's a longing for connection, but the world rejects them, creating deep mistrust."

"Usually, there's compassion and good relations among the homeless. They're not all hostile toward one another, nor are they all adversaries or distant. Remember, they're people who've been through a lot, making them more cautious but still capable of interactions."

Is there common data on who mostly ends up on the streets, or who's more likely to become homeless?

"I'm not sure about statistics, but mostly it's men. Our unit currently assists about 200 individuals in treatment or housing frameworks. I estimate around 50 live on the streets in Jerusalem, many of them are former Soviet Union immigrants who probably failed in their emigration and assimilation process in Israel. They live in poverty and distress, often turning to alcohol, complicating matters further. There are also women, but fewer. We help them as individuals. In Jerusalem, there are no homeless families, unlike the U.S., where entire families can be street-dwelling. Families at risk of reaching such a state receive quick intervention, especially with minors involved. But if you're an adult, nobody can force you to accept help, and it's 'your right' to remain in your situation and continue dwelling on the street."

Shai notes that even those who want to rebuild their lives face challenges. Though the state provides monthly financial aid for four years, it's minimal and hasn't kept up with rising rent and living costs in Israel. Not to mention landlords unwilling to rent to those in such situations. "The state helps homeless individuals by providing rental assistance for four years, 1,170 shekels for the first two years, then 800 shekels for another two. It sounds nice, but remember, rent prices rise, yet aid doesn't adjust proportionally. The choice coming from addiction isn't like a normative person's choice. Also, those wishing to rehabilitate and rent face landlords' reluctance: Will they pay rent? Will eviction succeed? What state will the apartment be left in? Might they destroy it? Thus, exiting to new opportunities becomes complex."

(Photo: Shutterstock)

What supports do you offer to help street dwellers rehabilitate?

"In our unit, we try to help street dwellers find frameworks or shelters to help them function, so they aren't exposed to use, addiction, weather, exploitation, and more. We try to find places, often subpar, yet for a street dweller, it's a suitable shelter, like a small storage unit with facilities. There are also various entrepreneurs in Jerusalem who lease apartments specifically to them at relatively low prices, coming from a good place to help and engage with the population, but also they won't choose very complex tenants. There's a limit.

"We can refer to detox when we find those willing and able. Some are more functional, and we try to direct them to employment fitting their skills and legal rights exploitation. There are cases we refer to nursing homes due to age. We conduct night tours to locate street dwellers and invite them to work with us for rehabilitation. Those who refuse—we provide them a coat and blanket, hot drinks, and essentials like socks; it's hard to keep gear on the streets, there are illnesses, lice, things wear out, and they have nowhere to wash them."

Rescuing Those Who Won't Save Themselves

What's the process like to take someone off the street and rehabilitate?

"When we find a street dweller who wants to work forward and currently needs support, we offer them a shelter, a temporary roof, with a shower, toilet, bed, until they find their footing. We help with rights exploitation, assurance benefits to maintain an apartment. But everything at their pace.

"We received a tip about someone severely on the street, addicted, less communicative, lacking trust in society, so we invite them to us. Many requests come from the individuals themselves. Our office is called 'Koresh' by the street community, as it's on Koresh Street. Some need greater effort to connect and build trust to bring them for a conversation, and some initially want a process. Many have no IDs, either stolen or lost repeatedly, and we engage with the Interior Ministry familiar with the population, accommodating them, knowing it's not a normal population, helping renew their ID each time needed.

"It's definitely a somewhat Sisyphean process, as it repeats. We successfully build a connection and slowly inch forward. Sometimes it involves lots of frustrations, referring someone to detox only for them to leave mid-process after a week because it was hard, or finishing detox then returning to drugs, understanding it wasn't easy. Statistically, the first attempt often fails, so complications arise, demanding immense patience."

Do you feel you can gain their trust after all they've experienced, even though you're not 'one of them'?

"It's not easy, but I try to approach from a place that understands them and their choices without judgment. While we all wish differently for them, it requires building trust, honoring their pace, and respecting their choices with every encounter. Naturally, connections can experience 'snags', and many street dwellers have mental difficulties and personality disorders complicating trust-building, but gradually, with positive relationships, they see we want the best for them.

"Just this week, an older man in a wheelchair came to us, and I asked him, 'What do you want? There are various solutions offering housing or rehab.' He replied, 'I want to drink.' That's where he's at; I can't force him, but be there for him, so when he is ready—I can help find him a roof."

How do you handle extreme weather like snow?

"In winter, we visit reported street dwellers, and areas with higher constant street dweller presence, distributing equipment like coats, sleeping bags, and socks. During snow, we push harder to encourage sheltering, even temporary, at least until weather improves, yet not always easy to convince. After so long alone on the street with some suffering mental disorders, being with others causes anxiety, as does framework imposition. Even simple tasks like queuing—this population struggles and may prefer familiar, albeit freezing, streets to threatening new environments."

In conclusion, when I encounter beggars and street dwellers, should I donate to them, or does it perpetuate their condition?

"Remember, not all beggars are homeless; some return home at day's end. Regarding street dwellers who become beggars, it depends, there's no single right answer. Some beggars are addicts using funds for drugs and alcohol, some save to rehabilitate. Hard to tell who fits where, but for those begging while addicted, funds often support their addiction. I'm not saying don't give, but offering food is preferable over money. Generally, they're appreciative of acknowledgment and care."

(Photo: Shutterstock)

Efrat Talia Cohen is a clinical social worker