Beyond Professional Boundaries

This chapter explores the ethical, social, and psychoanalytic dimensions of responding to trauma and rising antisemitism in the wake of the 7th October, 2023 Hamas attacks in Israel. Drawing on personal experience as a social worker, psychotherapist, and volunteer, the author details interventions including pro-bono therapy, survivor testimony documentation, and support networks for affected families. The chapter situates these actions within a broader historical and psychoanalytic framework, examining the persistence of antisemitism through Freudian and Kleinian lenses, the Oedipal dynamic, projection, and the “doer/done-to” relational cycle described by Jessica Benjamin. It critically considers Jewish singularity, diaspora consciousness, and internal critique of Israel, distinguishing between legitimate political criticism and prejudice-driven antisemitism. By integrating lived experience, historical memory, and psychoanalytic theory, the chapter emphasizes the importance of agency, dialogue, and mutual recognition, arguing that constructive engagement and rational compassion are essential for individual and collective repair in times of extreme crisis.