California Jews experiencing heightened depression, anxiety since 2023 Hamas violence

California Jews are reporting significantly greater symptoms of depression and anxiety since the Hamas attacks on Israeli civilians in October 2023, according to a University of California, Davis, study. 

The paper, “Mental Health in Californian Jews Before and After October 7, 2023,” was published in the American Psychological Association journal Psychological Trauma on July 28.

“The study highlights the psychological toll of the October 7th Hamas attacks even on Jews living thousands of miles from the conflict. But what is important to note is that concerns about antisemitism right here in the U.S., beyond the trauma from the attack itself, were a key driver of this psychological distress,” said Leah C. Hibel, professor of human ecology at UC Davis and lead author of the paper. “These findings suggest a greater need for mental health providers who have the knowledge, skills and awareness to understand and respect the unique cultural and discriminatory experiences of Jews.”

Researchers surveyed more than 200 Jewish parents of children ages 2 to 18, living in Northern California from September 2023 before the attacks, through August 2024. The study was designed to assess the impact of antisemitism on Jewish well-being and unintentionally captured the Oct. 7 massacre, the ensuing war and humanitarian crisis in the Middle East, and the historic rise in antisemitism here in the United States, Hibel said. 

Jewish families were recruited for the study through cultural Jewish organizations and community centers, as well as Jewish religious institutions and schools. 

Hibel said the survey showed a 30% increase in depressive symptoms and 45% increase in anxiety symptoms since Oct. 7. Importantly, with over 60% of the participants reporting having experienced an antisemitic event, like having their synagogue vandalized, concerns about antisemitism are driving these symptoms, she said.

“Jewish-serving organizations can assist in providing group therapy, support groups, and community gatherings to help those affected to process fears and concerns surrounding the Oct. 7 massacre and the current rise in antisemitism,” the researchers concluded in the paper. “Jewish community leaders should build bridges with existing community mental health organizations to increase the cultural competence of non-Jewish providers.”

She said in the paper that similar surveys in other minoritized communities have revealed perceived discrimination across a variety of characteristics such as gender, sexual orientation or race/ethnicity, to be associated with mental health symptoms.

Hibel said the widespread discrimination has consequences.

“While this study emphasizes the specific public health concern of antisemitism, Jews are not the only group impacted by rises in bigotry and discrimination, or the violence in the Middle East and those groups should also be examined for mental health concerns,” Hibel said.