Exposure to Cyberbullying and Classroom Social Climate as Predictors of Students' Sense of Belonging in Class in Elementary and Middle Schools

Children and adolescents currently conduct part of their social lives in cyberspace. Along with the increased use of WhatsApp – the most popular social platform in Israel – as a social network, we witness the spread of cyberbullying, that is, targeted aggressive activity against individuals in a virtual social space. Bullying in the virtual social space sometimes also flows into the actual social space in the classroom through feeding and refeeding, affecting the perception of the classroom social climate and the student’s sense of belonging in the classroom. Impairment of students’ sense of belonging in the classroom may impair their mental wellbeing and their functioning in school. The present study was designed to broaden our understanding of how exposure to cyberbullying relates to the social climate and students’ sense of belonging in the classroom beyond the students’ age and gender, distinguishing between exposure to cyberbullying in the private space and in the group space. The study involved 4,813 students (53% girls) in grades 4–9 in 191 classes within 33 schools. Participants filled out e-questionnaires. The findings showed that, as predicted by the research hypotheses, the more students are exposed to cyberbullying in the private and group spaces, the more negative the perceived social climate and students’ sense of belonging in the classroom will be. Exposure to simultaneous cyberbullying in both spaces, private and group, was found to be associated with even greater harm to the perceived social climate in the classroom and to students’ sense of belonging. It was also found that the perception of the social climate in the classroom mediates the connection between exposure and bullying in the classroom virtual space and students’ sense of belonging. The educational implications are discussed.

The Sexual Experience of Married Middle-Aged Women as a Source of Mental Wellbeing: Perceptions, Challenges and Coping Mechanisms

The impact of sexuality on mental wellbeing in women in long-term relationships has only been partially investigated. Emphasis has been on quantitative research studies that do not capture the breadth of the field. The present study looked at how and to what extent women maintain sexual desire in long-term relationships, and how sexuality affects their mental wellbeing. The study used a qualitative narrative approach and included semi-structured interviews with approximately 20 Israeli women aged 40–55 from similar socioeconomic backgrounds and in longstanding, permanent relationships. The findings indicate significant development over the years in the perception of the role of sexuality and its impact on mental wellbeing. The path to good sexuality can and should follow women’s leadership and initiative. Such women have the desire to make an impact, willingness to make an effort, and even an actual ability to exert influence. The interviewees’ tools, strategies, insights and ways of coping can serve as models for other women seeking better sexuality in a long-term relationship.

Out of Sight, Out of Mind: China's Drilling Strategy for Its Soft Power Pipes in Israel

We proposed a theoretical conceptualization and identified China’s operating strategy (“drilling targets”) for its soft power “pipes” in Israel. These “pipes” are consciously directed towards a certain elite that tends to uphold the human rights discourse on behalf of the general public but even more so vis-à-vis decision-makers. China, in turn, can obtain legitimization for its involvement in the Israeli economy by investing in initiatives promoting the interests and values upheld by this elite rather than in peripheral social initiatives. Meanwhile, the same Israeli elite persists in its heightened sensitivity to human rights violations vis-à-vis the Palestinian population but does not go out of its way, to say the least, to protest alleged violations of human rights in China. Thus it invites or legitimizes Chinese involvement in the Israeli economy. It has been “co-opted” by China. These elite communities, which are highly sensitive to violations of human rights in their close vicinity, are able to overlook such violations when they are carried out far away by those who invest billions in areas of interest to the elites.

Religious and Mizrahi Identities in Lehava and in Its Struggle to Maintain the Honor of the Jewish Family

Lehava is an extreme right-wing Israeli movement that attracts mostly traditional Mizrahi youth; its stated goal is to combat intermarriage. The article addresses the following questions: What attracts members to the organization? How does it operate? Where is it located within the Israeli ethno-national sphere? And where should it be positioned in a global comparative view? Research methods included participant observation, ethnographic interviews and a survey of social media. It was found that Lehava combines modes of activity typical of Israeli Haredi organizations devoted to combating intermarriage with those of extreme right-wing urban movements. Three dominant discourses were identified among supporters: a militant-nationalist discourse concerning Arab men, a therapeutic discourse used when referring to the members themselves and to the women they are seeking to “save,” and a religious discourse that supports the other two. Attitudes identified among religious Mizrahi Jews in Israel were found to be prominent in Lehava as well. It is also asserted that the organization’s resistance to intermarriage with Arabs can be explained as an attempt to preserve “family honor.” A comparative analysis underscored how the religious and therapeutic discourses, alongside the ethnic identity of members, differentiate Lehava from Western fascist movements and point to affinities with Eastern European and Muslim extremist organizations.

Is the Agenda Alive and Kicking and Is Objectivity Dead? Journalistic Culture on Social Networks in Israel

Independent journalism on social media networks appears to be changing the world of journalism. Building on Bourdieu’s field theory, the present study looked at journalists’ perceptions of values expressed in their online activities as compared to traditional news values. In-depth interviews were conducted with leading journalists active on traditional and online platforms in Israel in order to better understand journalists’ perceptions of the journalistic culture on the two kinds of platforms. The study found that by strongly emphasizing autonomy, online platforms empower journalists to embrace new values, including public service and immediacy. A public service ideology has expanded into online efforts to actively promote diverse issues that are not necessarily covered by traditional media. Immediacy is now dictated by the features of social media, which force journalists to respond in real time to all events relevant to their cause. Two values in the model of journalistic culture were found to be incompatible with the features of journalists’ online operations, and the ethics and objectivity of traditional journalism have been completely replaced by the online journalists’ orientation towards promoting their personal opinions, ideologies and agendas.