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Nirim was founded by brothers in arms of the late Navy Seals' Sergeant Major Nir Krichman, who was killed in action in 2002, during an operation that the Navy Seals undertook against terrorists in Nablus. His commander, himself once an at-risk youth, was motivated to create a program that elevates and empowers youth at high risk, and to name it in Nir’s memory – Nirim.
Established in 2003, Nirim provides youth at high risk with an opportunity, in many cases their last, to overcome their harsh life circumstances, discover their strengths, and become self-confident, successful, fulfilled, and contributing members of society.

Nirim runs two unique educational-therapeutic programs:
Nirim Youth Village –
The Nirim Youth Village located on the northern shore of Israel, is a unique residential setting for 100 at-risk teens aged 14 -18. "The Nirim Track" (three-four years,) is a highly intensive program for youth removed from their families by the Youth Protection Authority or referred by the Juvenile Court as an alternative to jail. (see Nirim Track)
The daily schedule is intense and includes all village units; school, therapy, after school classes, and more. Every Tuesday the kids are out in nature for wilderness therapy and ODT and once every six weeks they have a four-five day outdoor activity.
Through the course of three–four years in the village our youth complete five stages. Reaching each stage is subject to successfully completing the previous one and at the end of each stage they will have a powerful ceremony with the village community and their families.
As part of their day-to-day routine we wish to strengthen the kids’ potentials and offer them a wide range of after-school classes i.e. sport, art and music.
Nirim Youth Village follows the premise whereby these adolescent girls and boys can rehabilitate their emotional world, experience success and acquire the tools, skills and self-confidence to rewrite their life story and integrate into the core of Israeli society.
In the spirit of striving for excellence, we set high standards and objectives that are often perceived by the youth as impossible to reach; a full Matriculation diploma, a meaningful IDF service, social involvement and personal growth.

Nirim in the Neighborhoods is a community outreach program active in socio-economically deprived, crime-saturated neighborhoods across Israel. Program participants are youth aged 14 to 18, outreached in the neighborhoods by Nirim in the Neighborhoods staff or referred to us by welfare and educational frames.
The program takes place in the toughest neighborhoods in Israel. These socioeconomically deprived, crime saturated neighborhoods are characterized by drug and alcohol abuse and a low rate of army enlistment. The program emphasizes populations of distinct characterizations (i.e. religious and new immigrants from the CIS and Ethiopia), ensures continued support and mentoring and prioritizes teens of younger ages, so as to prevent their deterioration.
The Nirim in the Neighborhoods program uses the unorthodox methods used by the Nirim village, among which is the Wilderness Therapy, which serves as the main change initiator. We focus on returning these teenagers to their educational frameworks, integrating them into society, and strengthening their close environment, their families and their ties to the community. The guides scout the neighborhoods, at the kids' usual gathering places and slowly and patiently succeed in gathering the wondering teens; gaining their trust and helping them join the program. The staff serves as a Case Managers for the youths, and is in constant contact with all frameworks involved in their lives.
We aspire to influence as many areas of life as possible for these teens, and so create a positive and significant change in their extended circles – their family, friends, neighborhood, and community.

is a rehabilitative component pivotal to our success. As we trek through nature, we use survival skills, marine and outbound challenge activities as intensive therapeutic mediums that strengthen self-confidence, leadership abilities, and a sense of self-empowerment. The participants learn to work as a team to achieve personal and mutual physical and psychological goals. This therapy is an integral part of their scholastic program and incorporates elements of ecology studies as part of our participants' final grades.
Wilderness Therapy is part of our youths' personal growth and transformational process.
The deepest personal process as part of Wilderness Therapy is taking place at Nirim in the Mountains farm in the Golan Heights. The farm serves boys and girls, who reach a state of dysfunctional behavior and are in deep crisis. These teenagers, when in most extreme situations, were bound to be sent to institutions or returned to their destructive environments, had we not stepped in and given them the intensive and individual care they needed.

Graduates' Development Program – While at Nirim our youth undergo a transformational process, they are still susceptible to negative outside influences, economic challenges, and destructive family ties. Therefore, we developed Nirim Graduates' Program, that offers emotional and practical support. We liaise with teachers, IDF, social workers, families, and all involved parties, to facilitate a warm and caring passage from the stigma of youth at extreme risk to normative young adults. We make ourselves available with love, warmth, and practical support, acting as their family and representatives as they face every new stage and milestone.