Rafael Moses, MD, 1996

Rafael Moses has distinguished himself in the application of psychoanalytic theory to the study of prejudice and intergroup conflict. His contributions to the studies of the intergenerational effects of the Holocaust and the psychodynamic dimension of the Arab-Israeli conflict are scholarly openings of new fields of psychoanalytic inquiry. He is also a revered teacher and active contributor to the European psychoanalytic scene.

Dr. Moses has been an early pioneer of the application of psychoanalytic ideas to long-term political conflicts. Since the 1960s he has been actively involved in thinking and writing about the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and about the unconscious aspects of all social conflicts. His work evidences an immense curiosity about political leadership and political processes with a sensitivity to the plight of common citizens who are often victims of leaders and processes beyond their control.

In a 1998 book Psychoanalysis at the Political Border: Essays in Honor of Rafael Moses, the editors Leo Rangel and Rena Moses-Hrushovski, created an eloquent tribute to Dr. Moses. They collected and arranged the essays to emphasize the full range of psychoanalytic interest, from problems of individual psychology to some of the most urgent and compelling issues which confront groups and nations.