Study reveals how Israel’s diverse communities differ in coping with war trauma

While all groups displayed strong personal, family, and community resilience, psychological distress levels varied sharply.

By Pesach Benson, TPS

A new study from Ben-Gurion University of the Negev offers new insight into how diverse segments of Israeli society responded to Hamas’ October 7 attack and subsequent war.

By examining how secular, traditional, religious, and ultra-Orthodox communities coped with the crisis, the research provides a case study in resilience that may resonate with societies facing their own internal divisions and national emergencies.

“We wanted to understand how different value systems and social structures affect people’s ability to cope with national trauma,” said Prof. Orna Levinson-Brown, a researcher in Ben-Gurion University’s Conflict Management and Resolution Program.

“This kind of insight is crucial not only for Israel but for any society confronting extreme stress or internal fragmentation.”

Levinson-Brown and co-author Dr. Tehila Kalaji of the Department of Management and Public Policy surveyed 1,024 Israeli adults across the societal spectrum.

The sample included secular (32.4%), traditional (16.7%), religious (18.2%), and Orthodox-Haredi (32.7%) respondents, with an average age of 43.

Participants completed questionnaires measuring key indicators of resilience — such as personal hope, family cohesion, a sense of purpose, community preparedness, trust in national leadership, and emotional well-being.

While all groups displayed strong personal, family, and community resilience, psychological distress levels varied sharply.

Secular, traditional, and religious participants reported heightened emotional strain — higher than average for Israel.

Haredi respondents reported significantly lower levels of distress.

“The ability to assign meaning to events, to understand and navigate through chaos—what we call a sense of coherence—was the strongest predictor of reduced emotional distress across all groups,” explained Dr. Kalaji. “Hope also emerged as a vital factor for mental health across the board.”

Trust in national institutions also played a role. Secular, traditional, and religious respondents who expressed confidence in the government and military leadership reported less emotional turmoil.

Yet among the Haredim, trust in state institutions was not a significant factor. Instead, emotional resilience in that group was closely tied to religious beliefs and strong internal social networks.

“In collectivist communities such as religious and ultra-Orthodox ones, social support networks and an emphasis on shared values provide the individual with a sense of security and belonging,” said Dr. Kalaji.

“This leads to lower levels of psychological distress and a strengthened sense of coherence and personal resilience.”

The findings suggest that resilience strategies must be tailored to fit the distinct values and worldviews of different groups.

For Haredi communities, strengthening religious and social support networks is more effective than emphasizing trust in state institutions.

For secular and traditional groups, rebuilding confidence in government and security forces can reduce distress.

“There is significant similarity in the mechanisms that explain the levels of emotional distress among all groups,” said Prof. Levinson-Brown.

“These findings emphasize the fact that even in a society as diverse as Israel, resilience and coping mechanisms operate on the basis of common principles, with the differences being expressed mainly in cultural contexts and the way in which these resources are shaped and integrated in each group.”