Depth Interview VI. General Adjustment, Mental Health and Outlook on Life (Lebensanschauung)

Abstract

In Chapter Twelve we turn to past and present forms of outlook on life (Lebensanschauung) in their relation to present general adjustment and mental health. Three forms are investigated: political views, religious convictions and Jewish national consciensciousness. Without entering into details, it may be noted that immigrants without any political views in adulthood before immigration tend to adjust themselves better socioculturally in Israel, than those with a political view. This agrees with a similar finding in respect to the at-home feeling in the Ulpan. Religiously-minded people appear to adjust themselves better to society here than the non-believers. This will be discussed amply in Part III in connection with the seemingly opposite relation between religious convictions and the at-home feeling in the Ulpan.