PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — Parents are being warned to try to keep their children off social media as the war between Israel and Hamas intensifies.
Paul Bernstein with Prizmah, the network for Jewish day schools and yeshivas across America, says his organization has been in contact with educators in Israel who are concerned that young Israelis and Jews will be targeted psychologically by Hamas terrorists in the coming days and weeks. He says they expect Hamas to post more graphic videos across social media platforms.
During the Oct. 7 assault on a music festival near the Gaza border, the terrorist group immediately started sharing images and videos of bloodied victims being kidnapped. More videos show dead bodies, hostages, mass shootings and even beheadings.
“A lot of those images are active and intentional propaganda by Hamas and their allies that are designed to hurt and to upset and to traumatize the people that they see are the enemy,” he said.
Rachel Zivic, head of Kellman Brown Academy in New Jersey, says these images are impossible to unsee.
“These are unprecedented types of videos, ones that will be forever seared on our minds or memories or consciousness,” Zivic said.
Bernstein says temporarily refraining from social media is the healthiest solution, but educating kids that they may be targeted can also help.
“For young children, it's something that parents have more control over. For teenagers, it's much more difficult, and the idea of deleting social media accounts on a temporary basis is a real one,” Bernstein said.
“We're in unprecedented times. Maybe it needs unprecedented actions.”
He says this war is one that’s being fought on several fronts.
“It is psychological warfare. There's no question about it. There is a war going on and we are all targets.”
Zivic adds that although the war is in the Middle East, “we're living in a global world, and social media makes it even more pronounced.”
She says it’s not unfathomable for someone local to come across a disturbing video of a person or place they recognize in Israel.
“The Jewish people, we are a family, and it’s a small family and we are all impacted by this directly and deeply.”