Israel

I visited Israel for the first time in 2007. I wasn’t expecting to fall in love with the land, with Judaism, and with the Jewish people, but I did, deeply- I felt connected to the place as if I’d returned home from a long journey. These images are more straight-forward, they are an introduction to a community that was becoming my new reality, they are a sort of falling in love and have a certain tenderness. They are not bombarded with the faults and contradictions like my images previously, because I wasn’t feeling those emotions in these experiences. This group of images are portraits of the people I became close to or who left an impact on my soul. They end with my Jewish family and my ritualistic experiences as I begin my new married Jewish life. Israel was my second home for some time. This original series marks a moment of time that has significantly shaped my life, both personally and photographically. My photographic work taken in this country is a testament to my commitment to it. These photographs range from 2008-2018. Musings on identity and tradition, these images reflect the multiplicity of transformations inherent in the process of growing up and defining one’s self.