Reconstructing the loss: Hantzacha commemoration following the death of a spouse in a terror attack

One of the ways that family members cope with the deep sense of emptiness and the severance of continuity following the loss of a loved one in a terror attack is through commemoration. This article presents of the findings of a qualitative study that examined the process and products of commemoration by Israeli adults whose spouses were killed in terrorist attacks on the West Bank. The analysis of in-depth interviews revealed four different types of commemoration: tangible-private, tangible-public, intangible-private, and intangible-public. The study describes and analyzes the ways in which spouses of terror victims negotiate between the personal and collective aspects of the loss and bereavement via commemoration within the context of the Jewish-Israeli culture.