Meaning-Making After Tragedy: How Israelis Are Rewriting Their Stories
Recovery

Meaning-Making After Tragedy: How Israelis Are Rewriting Their Stories

"What do we do with our pain?" This question, asked across Israel in the aftermath of October 7, lies at the heart of trauma recovery.

May 14, 20241 min read

"What do we do with our pain?" This question, asked across Israel in the aftermath of October 7, lies at the heart of trauma recovery. Mental Health First Aid Israel offers an answer rooted in research: we transform it into meaning.

Meaning-making does not minimize suffering. It does not say "everything happens for a reason." Instead, it invites survivors to find purpose within the pain—not because tragedy is fair, but because agency aids healing.

This can take many forms: advocacy, volunteering, art, memoir, spiritual practice, or simply choosing to live well in honor of those who cannot.

MHFA Israel encourages survivors to tell their stories—not for pity, but for power. Each narrative reclaimed becomes a step toward integration.

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