Abstract
Holocaust collective memory—particularly in Israel—has been described as traumatic on both an individual and collective level by various scholars. The focus on the trauma of Holocaust collective memory is problematic though: it portrays Jewish-Israelis as victims of the past, linking them to general issues of victimization such as a lack of agency to deal with the present, and it assumes that the collective to whom this memory belongs is homogenously affected by it. In the field of social psychology, however, where within-group differences have been studied, limited research suggests there are different ways in which Holocaust collective memory has been construed and utilized within the context of the Palestinian–Israeli conflict.
This chapter elaborates on the myriad of meanings made of Holocaust collective memory in Israel within the context of the Palestinian–Israeli conflict. It brings a renewed focus on the ways in which this collective memory is not necessarily traumatic, but can also be a source of resilience, altruism, and recovery.
Using data gathered from 37 Jewish-Israelis who were interviewed in depth, the chapter discusses the variations of ways in which Jewish-Israelis incorporate Holocaust collective memory into the way they experience and perceive the ongoing conflict. While only a few Jewish-Israelis deliberately aim to keep the Holocaust as history and the conflict as present, most use the past to make meaning of the present. A pattern emerges in the interviews: Holocaust collective memory that is simplified is used and abused for personal and political agendas, whereas memory that is complex brings about introspection and internal conflict about one’s own suffering in contrast to that of the Palestinian other.
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Andriani, C. (2014). Holocaust Collective Memory in the Context of the Palestinian–Israeli Conflict: A Multifaceted Symbol. In: Moeschberger, S., Phillips DeZalia, R. (eds) Symbols that Bind, Symbols that Divide. Peace Psychology Book Series. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-05464-3_6
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