THE REACTION OF THE YOUTH IN ISRAEL TO THE ASSASSINATION OF PRIME-MINISTER RABIN,YITZHAK

The assassination of Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin by a politic al assassin caused shock disbelief and deep grief to the Israeli peopl e, Particularly prominent was the reaction of the youth, who gathered in large crowds, at the site of the murder and in other places, and en gaged in various mourning behaviors of a ritual nature. This drew the attention of the media in Israel and around the world. A study of appr oximately 700 teenagers conducted after the assassination examined the ir emotional reactions, participation in ritualistic mourning activiti es, and assessments of the reasons for feeling shocked. In all areas, differences were found as a function, of gender, and attitudes toward Rabin's peace policy. An attempt was made to explain the youth's behav ior in terms of the formation of groups and group identity.