Is Israeli society at the fifth stage of grief? - opinion

• Published date: 04 April 2024
• Author: GADI EZRA
• Publication title: Jerusalem Post, The: Web Edition Articles (Israel)

And while Purim was marked in Israel recently, it seems that not every Purim was like this. For a nation still grieving following October 7, Purim of 2024 was less joyful, more restrained, and tragically different

Yet another unusual aspect characterized Purim. For the first time since the massacre, it forced Israeli society to debate the legitimacy of celebrating in public. More than five months after October 7, varying voices argued that such celebrations were vital for national resilience and the true testimony of overcoming the darkness of terrorism.

Others claimed that public parades or clubbing, for example, were a distasteful and inappropriate celebration, exemplifying a lack of solidarity while more than 130 hostages – among them women and children – are still in Hamas's captivity. Many of these discussions were held privately, occasionally accompanied by emotions of guilt, hardship, and shame. A publicly critical illustration was provided when the Jerusalem municipality decided to conduct its Purim parade for the first time in four decades and was met with a protest by the hostages' family members. Following a heated debate, the city justifiably decided to change the event's character and name, lower the volume of the music, and express more sympathy.

Less than two months before Israel's Independence Day, similar dilemmas begin to appear. Celebrated in proximity to Memorial Day – and only a week after Holocaust Day – Israeli Independence Day is a mix of grief and joy anyway. The current debate promises to make it even more complicated.

This was a heartbreaking debate not only because of the terrible circumstances that characterized it but also due to its profound implications for Israeli society, reflected through the five stages of grief: denial, anger, bargaining, depression, and acceptance. For the past five months, it seems that Israeli society has experienced the first four of them simultaneously: We could not believe thousands of civilians...