Do Jews Still Have Safe Spaces for Healing?
An article by Maayan Hoffman in The Media Line explores the growing hostility and politicization confronting Jewish and Israeli patients and healthcare professionals. The piece examines how ideological shifts like "decolonizing therapy" and anti-Zionist activism are compromising the traditional neutrality of mental health and medical environments.
Through real-world accounts, the article highlights the distressing choices facing patients—such as an Israeli-American student at Columbia University whose therapist justified her friends' threats to cut ties with her over her Israeli identity. It also details how therapists across the country report feeling pressured to self-censor, hide their Jewish identity, or distance themselves from Israel to maintain professional standing.
Key Takeaways from the Article
Politicization of the APA Convention: Highlights the open letter led by Gesher Community Care and StandWithUs to the American Psychological Association (APA). The letter addresses an organized campaign by Psychologists for Justice in Palestine to introduce mandatory political acknowledgments and political symbols into professional convention sessions, creating an exclusionary environment for Jewish clinicians.
The Anti-Zionist Angle of "Decolonizing Therapy": Features insights from Gesher Community Care co-founder Dr. Shelly Steinwurtzel on how "decolonizing therapy" frameworks treat Zionism as a colonized, oppressive mindset—leading some therapists to view a patient's connection to Israel as something to be "cured" or abandoned.
Targeting Israeli Medical Professionals: Details a parallel campaign within the broader medical field targeting the Israeli Medical Association (IMA). Leaders from Hadassah pushed back in The Lancet against petitions attempting to expel the IMA from the World Medical Association, warning that isolating practitioners based on nationality normalizes antisemitism and harms global healthcare collaboration.
Restoring Safe Spaces: Emphasizes the vital mission of organizations like Gesher Community Care to ensure that Jewish and Israeli patients can access healthcare and mental health support without fearing bias, gaslighting, or ideological tests.
Read the Full Article on The Media Line
