Post-October 7 antisemitism wave reawakening the past in Holocaust descendants: a serial mediation model

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: This study explored risk factors for sensitivity to the rise in global antisemitism (i.e., sensitivity to antisemitism) following the October 7, 2023, Hamas attack on Israel and the outbreak of the Israel-Hamas War. It specifically examined Holocaust centrality and intrusive linkage among Holocaust descendants (second and third generations of Holocaust survivors). DESIGN: A random web-based national sample of 405 Jewish participants of European origin completed questionnaires across four waves. METHOD: In T1 (May-November 2022), they reported familial Holocaust background and Holocaust centrality; in T3 (December 2023), they reported the intrusive linkage between the Holocaust and the Israel-Hamas War; and in T4 (July 2024), they reported sensitivity to antisemitism. T2 was not included in the current study. RESULTS: Results showed that Holocaust descendants reported higher levels of Holocaust centrality, intrusive linkage, and sensitivity to antisemitism relative to comparisons. The serial mediation model showed that both Holocaust centrality and intrusive linkage mediated the effect of being a Holocaust descendant on sensitivity to antisemitism. CONCLUSION: Results underscore the factors behind the increased preoccupation with antisemitism in Holocaust families. Practitioners should engage in interventions addressing these aspects in descendants of ancestral trauma, particularly when faced with current threats.