Shamai Davidson

Shamai Davidson (; 1926–1986) was an Israeli professor, psychiatrist and psychoanalyst, who spent 30 years working with Holocaust survivors, trying to understand the nature of their experience. He was medical director of Shalvata Mental Health Center and served as head of the Elie Wiesel Chair for the Study of the Psycho-Social Trauma of the Holocaust.

Early life and education Born in Dublin, Davidson grew up in a traditional Jewish home in Glasgow. He lost many of his relatives in the Warsaw Ghetto, Łódź Ghetto, and the gas vans of Chelmno.

Career Davidson immigrated to Israel, where he became deeply involved in the study and treatment of Holocaust survivors. He served as the Medical Director of the Shalvata Mental Health Center and was appointed to the Elie Wiesel Chair for the Study of the Psycho-Social Trauma of the Holocaust.

Davidson co-founded the Institute on the Holocaust and Genocide in Jerusalem alongside Elie Wiesel and Israel W. Charny. His research focused on the psychological effects of the Holocaust, aiming to understand the trauma and resilience of survivors.

Notable work Davidson is best known for his book Holding on to Humanity: The Message of Holocaust Survivors, which he began in 1972. The work offers a systematic understanding of trauma and survival, emphasizing individual differences among survivors.