ABSTRACT
Characteristics of Israeli culture, such as individualistic as well as collectivistic tendencies, population diversity, and particular values in Israeli culture make it possible for researchers to contribute to the vast literature on work-family conflict (WFC). All 21 Jewish women experienced the interplay between work and family simultaneously as a conflict and as a positive spillover experience. Specifically, most research focused on the individual's responsibility to cope with the conflict, thereby disregarding the role of organizations, communities, and the society as a whole in equipping the individual with family-friendly resources for coping. The focus group results identified several coping strategies for managing the conflict. As for their motives to engage with paid work, women from both sectors noted self-actualization as a major driving force. It is notable that most previous coping research in the work-family domain in Israel has focused on personal coping, with only scant research on the role of the organization as a source of support to manage WFC.
