Ethnic relations and community mental health among Israeli jews

Low self-esteem, increment in life stresses, lessened resources to deal with crisis situations, and hostility are well documented psychologically consequences of ethnic inequality. Less documented but potentially more important is the relationship of ethnic inequality to mental disorders. Sephardim in Israel are clearly disadvantaged when compared to the dominant Ashkenazi population. Two approaches to change the present situation are discussed: eliminating the economic and structural basis of inequality, a conventional approach; or trading the 'melting pot' ethnic policy for a pluralistic or 'mosaic' policy, where ethnic group identify is preserved and enhanced.