Israeli Expatriates' Perceptions, Experiences and Coping Mechanisms Post-October 7th

Background and Purpose: The Israel-Gaza war reverberates globally, impacting individuals beyond the immediate vicinity of the turmoil. Particularly underexplored is the impact on Israeli expatriates (IEs) living in the United States, the largest Israeli diaspora, estimated between 20,000 to a million individuals. IEs face unique psychosocial challenges in the wake of the conflict. This study seeks to elucidate the lived experiences of this community, including their interpretative frameworks, the stresses and traumas encountered due to the October 7th events (10/7), and their coping mechanisms, all within the context of the broader research on expatriate experiences during homeland crisis.

Methods: Utilizing a qualitative approach, semi-structured interviews were conducted, each lasting 45-120 minutes, with a purposively sampled group of 20 IEs across various American locales. The participants, largely middle-class with liberal political orientations, were diverse in age, tenure in the US, acculturation, education, and sexual identities. The interview process aimed to elicit detailed narratives surrounding the respondents’ immigration histories, personal reactions to and effects of 10/7, related interpersonal relations, knowledge about Israel-Palestine, life reflections pre- and post-10/7, and on the future as it relates to them personally. Thematic analyses were applied to the data.

Findings: IEs reported a wide spectrum of responses, including dissociation, heightened vigilance, avoidance, physical symptoms, and changes in beliefs and worldviews, suggesting potential vicarious trauma and PTSD. A pronounced sense of isolation within American society was evident, accompanied by experiences of disenfranchised grief and heightened in-group/out-group dynamics within the diaspora. The ongoing situation of the Israeli hostages in Gaza and the personal and communal expressions of concern over their well-being came up as an in-group means for communal connection and solidarity, while in-group tensions concerning ideological worldviews concurrently also persisted.

Behavioral changes included a considerable increase in consumption of Israeli news and social media, reflecting a coping strategy rooted in cultural connectivity. Different degrees of caution were prevalent in expressing their Israeli identity and political views, with most feeling understood only among other IEs. Many have expressed changes in their perceptions of inter-group relations, some reporting friendships severed or distanced. Some reported significant changes in their ideological worldview, moving from left to center or right wing. Some have since returned to a more leftist viewpoint but with “more sobriety.” A palpable theme of despair was expressed in reflections on the geopolitical landscape and their future role within it.

Conclusions and Implications: The findings offer insight into IEs in the US who may experience vicarious trauma and PTSD linked to homeland crisis and to a sense of disenfranchised grief linked to a conflicted national identity. The study emphasizes the necessity of further exploration of cultural intricacies and experiences of disenfranchised grief in the diaspora when devising supportive interventions. Furthermore, the impact of ongoing homeland conflicts on diaspora communities necessitates future research on nuanced approaches to mental health support, ones that acknowledge the complexities of cultural identity and its influence on perception, grief, and coping.