‘Extreme Trauma’ Offers a Blueprint for Unity in a Divided Israel
New book features essays that highlight post-Oct. 7 Jewish resilience and offer moral clarity, emotional grounding, historical context and hope to emerge from dark times
The nation of Israel is in a state of deep, widespread trauma, according to Israel-based psychoimmunologist Dr. Moshe Kaplan. “There is national trauma, individual trauma, physical, emotional and spiritual trauma – extreme trauma,” he told The Media Line.
Extreme Trauma: October 7 as an Outlier in Human Potential is also the title of Kaplan’s new book, published through his Be A Mensch Foundation, a nonprofit he founded 11 years ago to promote unity in Israeli society. The organization inspires moral leadership through Jewish values and fosters mutual respect and dialogue among Jews of all backgrounds.
According to Kaplan, the foundation has reached more than 80,000 participants through programs held at universities, high schools, kibbutzim, the Israeli Air Force, and workplaces nationwide.
Kaplan said the events of October 7, 2023, traumatized every Israeli.
“We thought we were secure, that we had a strong army, a stable enough government – and we did not. All those beliefs were shattered in one day.
“We thought we were secure, that we had a strong army, a stable enough government – and we did not,” he told The Media Line. “All those beliefs were shattered in one day.”
He explained that his new book is one step closer toward helping the country regain its strength. True resilience, Kaplan said, comes from people living and working together, supported by strong community networks.
“No religion or politics is necessary,” Kaplan explained. “It’s about basic values: respect, tolerance, consideration and mutual responsibility. We don’t all have to love each other or practice the same way, but we should get along and respect each other.”
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While the country initially came together in the aftermath of the Oct. 7 Hamas massacre, he noted that the unity was short-lived.
“Unfortunately, we see the divisions coming back,” Kaplan said.
Though Extreme Trauma opens with the horrors of October 7, its core message is one of resilience and hope. The book is a curated collection of essays—some written by Kaplan, others contributed or reprinted—that aims to highlight the strength of the Jewish people and the light that can emerge from darkness.
Kaplan explained that the essays are intended to provide readers with moral clarity, emotional grounding, and historical context. The book begins with Hamas’s unimaginable acts of cruelty but ultimately shifts toward the opposite extreme—stories of nobility, compassion, and faith that have surfaced in the wake of tragedy.
We chose the various people that we did because they have some notoriety or credibility, and these are people with positive messages who want to discuss hope and unity as our saving grace.
“We chose the various people that we did because they have some notoriety or credibility, and these are people with positive messages who want to discuss hope and unity as our saving grace,” Kaplan said. “We did not want a toxic book that would traumatize people again; quite the opposite, we want readers to see the silver lining.”
The list of contributors is impressive. It includes philanthropist Miriam Adelson; Israeli Brig. Gen. (ret.) Meir Elran; National Council of Jewish Women CEO Meredith Jacobs; journalist and pro-Israel analyst Douglas Murray; American tech executive Sheryl Sandberg; Hadassah’s Carol Ann Schwartz; and Israel National News writer Gary Willig.
Willig contributed two essays, including one that describes Gaza as “the most evil society in human history” and another titled “The New 9/11,” in which he argues that October 7 was Israel’s version of the infamous terror attack on America.
Still, Willig said he shares Kaplan’s belief that national unity is the path forward, which is why he agreed to include his columns in the book.
You cannot win if you are divided among yourselves—that goes for nations, armies, and even sports teams.
“You cannot win if you are divided among yourselves—that goes for nations, armies, and even sports teams,” Willig told The Media Line.
“I hope that we will be able to come together and see that we are one nation, even if we have political or religious differences,” he added. “All of mankind is in the image of God, and all of Israel is one family.”
Kaplan said he felt compelled to compile the book because memories fade—but what happened on October 7, and what it meant for Israel, must not be forgotten. He stressed that the country also needs reminders that it can rebuild and recover.
“The Jewish people are famous for our resilience,” Kaplan said. “This book can help people remember that.”
