Coping with personal and collective grief through the reconstruction of religious literature

In the aftermath of the Holocaust, a noteworthy surge in the creation of orthodox Jewish literature and the restoration of lost books emerged, yet this phenomenon remains unexplored. A literature review suggests that this trend may be attributed to psychological and spiritual needs for individual and national rehabilitation and commemoration as integral components of coping with catastrophic events and grief. This study investigates for the first time these assumptions and their manifestation in post-Holocaust religious literature by analyzing author statements that elucidate their motivations and objectives underlying their writing. Out of 200 books meeting inclusion criteria, featuring elements of self-reflection and/or commemoration in their prefaces, 20 books were randomly selected. Thematic analysis was used to categorize the texts into key themes, with validation from researchers specializing in Jewish philosophy, social work, and psychology. Authors’ self-reflections offered insights into their motivations, resembling glimpses into personal diaries. They outlined the guiding principles behind their writing and its eventual impact. Four themes were identified: (1) Filling personal voids; (2) Filling the void of the deceased; (3) Filling voids in religious literature; and (4) Filling national voids. The findings support theories positing writing as a therapeutic and commemorative act, integral to individual and national rehabilitation following trauma. Writing is viewed as an essential component of the coping process with tragedy, aiding in filling personal, communal, and spiritual voids. This study contributes to the design and implementation of interventions facilitating coping with grief and bereavement, particularly in cases of collective loss.