Managing Crises: Social Workers’ Perspectives on Managers’ Roles During a Violent Political Crisis in Israel

The violent political crisis in Israel in May 2021 heightened anxiety among Palestinian and Jewish citizens, particularly in mixed cities. This study examined how social workers perceived managers’ efforts to address the complexities faced during the crisis. Through intergroup leadership theory, the authors explored managers’ roles in dealing with the tensions between the two subgroups of social workers. In-depth interviews were conducted with 12 Arab and 13 Jewish social workers from social service departments (SSDs) in six mixed Israeli cities. An inductive approach guided by content analysis was employed. The findings revealed two themes: managers’ engagement at individual and group levels. While acknowledging managers’ efforts, some respondents voiced critical viewpoints, perceiving managers’ functioning as inadequate, superficial, insensitive, or aggressive in certain cases. The study underscores managers’ pivotal role during crises, highlighting how they can provide essential personal and interpersonal support for social workers of both ethnicities in Israel.