October 7th 2023

On October 7, 2023, the State of Israel faced one of the darkest chapters in Jewish history, marked by brutal attacks on civilians, including elderly women and children, orchestrated by the Hamas terrorist organization.

 Among the most tragic incidents was the massacre of over 400 young men and women who were joyously celebrating the “Nova festival” at “Reim Park.”

On December 31st, I embarked on a deeply emotional journey to honor the memories of the victims, a journey that continues to unfold with each passing day. Initially, I compiled a collage featuring 370 photographs provided to me with names. After four days, I shared the collage with the families and parent groups of the victims to gather their feedback. Since then, I have been immersed in a sorrowful odyssey, receiving poignant comments that draw connections between the faces in the collage: “These were siblings,” “This was a couple on the verge of marriage,” “These are relatives— a brother who rushed to save his sister alongside a friend who had planned to propose to her,” “These were childhood friends,” and so forth.

As an artist, I made a solemn vow to use my talents to create an icon capturing the beauty and joy radiating from the festival attendees’ faces, moments before their lives were tragically cut short. This artwork not only serves as a poignant tribute but also unites families from diverse backgrounds across Israel, providing them with a shared platform for remembrance and healing. It has been showcased in communities across the United States, presented to the President of France during a ceremony commemorating the victims of October 7th, exhibited at the Knesset in Israel, and is currently on display at the Israel Museum in Tel Aviv as part of the “Local Testimony 2023” The annual exhibition of photojournalism and documentary photography.

While I have produced numerous artworks featured in renowned museums worldwide, this piece has emerged as the defining “Masterpiece of my career”. It encapsulates the profound conflict between the vibrant beauty and joy depicted in the faces of the victims and the grim reality of their untimely demise, all in a single glance.