Anchored in the Past and Facing the Present: Identity Processes Among Grandchildren of Holocaust Survivors Following October 7

Research suggests that the effects of intergenerational transmission of trauma are also manifested among grandchildren of Holocaust survivors (GHS) in Israel, noting that they express deep fears and anxieties and a sense of identity threat. Employing the analytical framework of identity process theory, this study looked at how 17 Jewish-Israeli GHS managed their identity following the Hamas surprise attack on October 7, 2023. The findings suggest that interviewees are aware of how their identity is largely influenced by their forebears' experiences, but also that it is a dynamic one, and that they employ interpersonal coping strategies to manage their threatened identity in the aftermath of 10/7. This holding on to a threatened identity anchored in the family's past and reactive to a current societal trauma is manifested in the lessons learned from both events by GHS, who are nevertheless cognizant of the essential differences between them. The findings can be applied in both individual therapy and intervention programs designed to help young Israeli adults who are GHS understand their identity and strengthen their coping strategies post-October 7.