Ayelet Oreg

Ayelet Oreg
Bar Ilan University | BIU · School of Social Work

PhD

About

26
Publications
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Introduction
My research focuses on two main areas: In the first, I explore the anthropological and sociological dimensions of human milk-sharing networks and organ donation. I examine how these exchanges operate within diverse social, cultural, religious, and political contexts. The second area of my research involves a collaboration with Dr. Amit Dagan at the Tell Qana Archaeology Laboratory, where we develop therapeutic interventions that combine social work with community archaeology.

Publications

Publications (26)
Article
Every so often, among the bags of breast milk sent for donation to milk banks, clear bags of milk are found that are hand decorated and accompanied by short texts written by donating mothers. In the bank labs, the milk is poured into pasteurisation containers, and the bags are thrown away. The milk comes to the neonatal ward packed in bar-coded bot...
Article
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Surrogate partner therapy is a type of treatment in which the surrogate partner (SP) works in a triadic setting with a sex therapist and a patient. At the same time, the SP acts as an intimate surrogate partner to the patient. The SP treatment includes a range of therapeutic experiences such as relaxation, intimate communication, sensual and sexual...
Article
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We explore the phenomenon of organ donation between rivals in time of war when a significant gift such as organ donation is given not just to a “stranger” but to a stranger who may be considered an enemy. This is a case study of a unique organ donation event that occurred in Israel during Operation Guardian of the Walls in May 2021. It involved a P...
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On 7 October 2023, 3,000 Hamas terrorists from the Gaza Strip infiltrated Israel. Over 1,300 people were killed on that day, and over 240 were abducted to Gaza. On October 8, Israel declared war on Hamas. The current study delves into the prevailing phenomenon of spontaneous war weddings held in military settings during the war. Drawing from Terror...
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This study explores the phenomenon of memorial stickers commemorating victims of the October 7, 2023, massacre and subsequent Israel-Hamas war. Analyzing 600 stickers collected across Israel, we examine how these artifacts shape personal and collective memories of these tragic events. Using content analysis, visual data analysis, and ethnography of...
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Full-text available
Objectives: To delve into the phenomenon of memorial tattoos in Israel following the October 7, 2023, massacre, and the ensuing Iron Swords War utilizing Terror Management Theory. Methodology: A qualitative approach employing digital ethnography and visual content analysis was adopted to scrutinize 250 war tattoo images sourced from Israeli tattoo...
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This study explores how bereaved families of organ donors become participants in an ‘imagined epistemic community’ of organ donor families, amidst a national conflict between Jews and Arabs in Israel. Utilizing a media case study approach, we identified factors contributing to the creation of this bi-national community and examined what the familie...
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Background:Evidence is lacking on the phenomenon of peer-to-peer human milk-sharing in the Middle East, specifically, in Israel. Research Aims:This study aimed to uncover peer-to-peer human milk-sharing in Israel, learn about how and whether donors engage in safe milk handling and storage practices, and assess knowledge about human milk and breastf...
Article
Most of the research on human milk donations after prenatal loss has focused on donations to milk banks in which donors and recipients are anonymous to each other. In contrast, in this Israel-based study, we focus on an ongoing, direct interaction between a bereaved donor and recipients who adopted a new baby. We conducted a relational autoethnogra...
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The Jewish ultra-Orthodox community enforces strict rules concerning its members’ way of life and demands that their identities be consistent with that of this conservative community. However, such congruence does not exist for ultra-Orthodox women who identify as lesbians. Drawing on social representation theory, this study examines the unique fam...
Article
Given the multitude of outlets to which individuals can give their time and money, why do Americans donate to international causes? This research ties into larger discussions about the changes in the aid architecture and the role of private aid in particular. The contributions of the article are twofold. First, we seek to better understand how cert...
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Ethnographies involve the exploration of social phenomena in the field, typically for an extended period of time. Traditionally, ethnographers listen to, observe, and directly communicate with the subjects of their research. At its essence, ethnography is about storytelling, and the data are collected through human interaction. With the development...
Article
In this research note, we call attention to human milk donation being essentially omitted from the philanthropy literature and bodily gifting research. We focus here on human milk donations for infant feeding through nonprofit milk banks. We argue that its omission is due to two main factors: (a) the incoherence of defining human milk donation and...
Article
Taking a culturally sensitive approach, we set out to explore the social response to, and the cultural adoption of, charity sport events in Israel, where this phenomenon is relatively new and understudied. We show that charity sport events participation is accepted with mixed feelings: participants are motivated by their novice athletic aspirations...
Article
Perinatal loss is a major life crisis involving multiple losses, including the loss of future hopes and dreams, of being pregnant, and of self-esteem, to name a few. In the present study I focus on mothers who experienced perinatal loss and chose to extract and donate their human milk to nonprofit milk banks. Through an analysis of 88 women’s perso...
Article
Objective This article draws on the literature of bodily gifting, the motivations for milk donation, and donor identity to explore human milk donation in the context of nonprofit milk banks. We ask: What are the characteristics of the milk donor identity? Methods We qualitatively analyze written testimonials and images produced by human milk donor...
Article
This research examines engagement in diaspora philanthropy through the lens of Lost Boys of Sudan and their founding of small international nonprofit service organizations based in the United States. We seek to understand refugees’ motivations to take upon themselves leadership roles in their local United States communities and in the provision of...
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We examine a phenomenon which includes people who have had transformative experiences while abroad and traveling, and who have returned home to the United States and become philanthropic entrepreneurs: they start their own international nonprofit organizations. We set out to examine the motivations for giving to international causes through these n...
Article
This is a study of bereaved mothers' donation of human milk to nonprofit human milk banks following their baby's death. Whereas much has been written about the biological and medical aspects of milk donations in times of loss, much less attention has been given to the psychosocial aspects of this phenomenon. I build on research of motivations for p...

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