News

I arrived in Israel on June 30. Less than 12 hours later I was confronted by the tragic news. 3 mothers, just like me, were now mourning the loss of their sons. 16 year olds Naftali Fraenkel and Gilad Shaer and 19-year-old Eyal Yifrah were found dead, 18 days after they were abducted. The horrific murders became the flashpoint for mounting tension and violence. Yet, as Israel moved closer to an all out war, I still saw hope through my lens.

This series of photos, taken as I traveled throughout Israel, captures the glimmers of hope I saw under the most trying of times. At a historic temple in Tzfat, the sun blazes in the bright blue sky. It’s strength a reflection of the people of Israel, unwavering despite their current state of mourning. On Ben Yehuda Street in Jerusalem, remnants of memorial candles fill the street, having extinguished themselves after the night’s peaceful protest. At the Western Wall, the holiest of sites, my eye is drawn upward, to the shimmering sky and heavens above. It feels natural to capture this angle, yet few recognize this photo for what it is. Even a clothesline hanging high above the Israeli Shook (market) seems to dance in the sparkling light. Finally, I capture the light cascading through the triangular concrete prism that penetrates the mountain from one side to the other. This is Yad Vashem, The Holocaust History Museum, where the tragic narrative of six million Jews unfolds. Even here, I see light. I see hope. I see a glimmer of peace.

by Lisa Crawford and Marcy Fleisher

by Lisa Crawford and Marcy Fleisher
I arrived in Israel on June 30. Less than 12 hours later I was confronted by the tragic news. 3 mothers, just like me, were now mourning the loss of their sons.