Dennis PragerFounder, PragerU · Founder of PragerU | NYT best-selling author

Does Dennis Believe in Generational Trauma?

28 Apr 2025 · 3 min

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3:18

In this monologue, Dennis Prager reflects on the lingering effects of the Holocaust on his own generation of Jews, describing it as a collective PTSD that persisted even among those who lost no immediate family. He acknowledges that this trauma diminishes in later generations. Prager then attempts a comparative look at other groups: he admits limited knowledge about the intergenerational impact of slavery on Black Americans, yet suggests that a 150‑year‑old trauma may still exist. Finally, he recounts a past panel discussion with Catholic and Protestant scholars, noting that Protestants appear the most optimistic among the three major religious traditions because they historically experienced less collective trauma, whereas Catholics and Jews endured significant suffering during World War II and the Holocaust. The overall tone is reflective and conversational, with a cautious, measured sentiment toward the complexities of generational trauma.

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I've often noted in explaining Jews to non-Jews that Jews underwent, even if they lost no family member or anyone they knew in the Holocaust, the Holocaust was a, was a trauma. Basically, Jews have PTSD. It's, it's much less true for the next generation, but for my generation, born right after World War II, There, there is no question. I am very rational, and I was very affected by, by the trauma of something none of my relatives and no one I knew was affected by. But it's very difficult to be aware of what the Jews of Europe underwent the horrors, the unspeakable horrors, and to think that it was brought upon every single Jew— babies and, and elderly were, were targeted for extermination— it, it affects you. And it did have a— there was a PTSD element in, in Jewish life, there's no question. With regard to Blacks, I, I can't comment nearly as knowledgeably, but it— that I, I don't understand. If, if 150 years later there is still a trauma over slavery, and there— look, there might be, but I, I don't fully understand it because this next generation Young Jews, I don't think, have nearly the trauma of the Holocaust that Jews who lived at the time, like my parents' generation, or right after, my generation, have. But there is, there is such a thing. I, I've thought about this a fair amount. And I remember being on a panel with, with a Catholic and Protestant, very intelligent people, long time ago. And it was pointed out that Protestants are the most optimistic of the groups— Protestant, Catholic, Jew. And it's because they didn't undergo trauma. Many Catholics did because of, of World War II as an example, and the suffering of Poles who were Catholic as an example, and of, of other groups in, in Europe. Protestants much less so. Protestants have it the best among Catholics, Jews, and Protestants, so they tend to be the most optimistic. They're the least traumatized.