A Case Study in Resilience: Lessons from Israeli Hostages
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.58315/jcld.v13.352Keywords:
resilience, hostage captivity, meaning-making, spiritual readiness, leader development, coping strategiesAbstract
Drawing on five publicly available hostage accounts involving four Israeli women and one Israeli man held between 54 and 484 days in Gaza following the October 7, 2023 attacks, this practice-oriented case study highlights resilience strategies described as supporting endurance under extreme captivity. As a case study, it does not involve statistical sampling, designed experiments, or outcome evaluation; yet case studies can be suggestive, instructive, and enlightening. This case study uses selected testimonies to clarify mechanisms of meaning, connection, spirituality, and agency relevant to leader development. Across the accounts, a sense of self-transcendent purpose—meaning derived from commitment to values, faith, relationships, or responsibilities beyond one’s self-interest—appears repeatedly, expressed through spirituality and social connection and described as helping preserve a sense of personal agency. These strategies resonate with established psychological research and align with the U.S. Army’s Holistic Health and Fitness framework, particularly its emphasis on spiritual readiness as a foundation for resilience.
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