Dr. Becky Leshem

Dr. Becky Leshem is a researcher and educator in social work and education, specializing in life under conditions of violence and terror, continuous traumatic stress, and the development of resilience among children,

Her research focuses on the effects of exposure to community, family, and political violence, the intergenerational transmission of trauma and resilience, and processes of reconciliation in the context of the Israeli–Palestinian conflict, with particular attention to national honor, personal dignity, and recognition of the “other’s” narrative. In parallel, she examines how teachers – especially beginning teachers cope with classroom violence and behavioral difficulties, the challenges of teaching during crises such as the COVID-19 pandemic, and the contribution of active learning classrooms, educational technologies, mindfulness, and meditation to strengthening resilience, self-efficacy, and high-quality teaching practice.

Dr. Leshem has published extensively in leading international journals in the fields of trauma, community psychology, reconciliation, and education, and collaborates with scholars in Israel and abroad. She has served as a visiting professor at New York University’s Silver School of Social Work, is a frequent speaker at international conferences, and reviews manuscripts for prominent journals in trauma, psychology, and education.

Alongside her academic work, Dr. Leshem has held key positions in the Israeli education system as a national and regional instructor in special education, inclusion, language education, and meaningful learning, leading large-scale programs to integrate students with special needs and to embed technology-rich, pedagogically sound teaching. Her long-standing experience as a special education teacher, diagnostician, teacher educator, and mindfulness and meditation instructor deeply informs her research and her vision for a trauma-sensitive, resilience-oriented education system that acknowledges both suffering and hope.