When artist J.J. Garfinkel's son Elon died at the young age of 43, he inherited three suitcases of Elon's personal items. Not wanting to store the objects, also not wanting to throw them away, he decided to photograph a few of his son's personal things in a way that would "fill his soul" and as a way of sharing memories. 

Garfinkel brought his idea to OneFamily, the organization supporting victims of terror CEO Chantal Belzberg.  By reaching out to families who lost a loved one killed in a terror attack, Garfinkel volunteered to provide to families who, like him, wanted to preserve a cherished object of their loved one. The result is that OneFamily and the Elon Joseph Memorial Fun enabled a 14-month journey of encounters with 33 families who lost a loved one in a terror attack. The objects families inherited are a physical reminder of lives cut short, too soon, violently, and unexpectedly. The powerful exhibit lining the Jerusalem Theater walls is of the personal belongings of individuals murdered in terror attacks. 

The subtitle of his book where these masterpieces were first published, Memory and Cherished Objects was selected, says Garfinkel, because "the person we have lost will not make any new memories, so we need to create a space for them in our lives. Heirlooms create a space where memory happens. In the process of doing this project, I have touched the lives of many families even as their lives touched mine."

Speaking on behalf of the participating families, represented in the project and at the Jerusalem Theater opening, was Rabbi Shimon Rosenberg, the father of Rivka Holzberg, z"l, murdered in Mumbai on November 26, 2008, in the terror attack on the Chabad House.

Garfinkel explained his technique of minimalism to the audience but continued to state how he went against the norm of using line, form, color, and pattern, without emotion.

The images curated by Dr. Batsheva Ida are bursting with emotion, especially when one reads the explanatory text posted next to them. Therefore, a selection of four images with accompanying texts is included in the following photo essay: The necklace of Rivka Holzberg, z"l, Miriam Perez memory of her two sons, the Sherki family tallis, and also the uniform of a Druze soldier.  Not only Jews are affected by terrorism. OneFamily supports all Israeli victims of terror. 

J.J. Garfinkel began his photography career in 1985 when he lived in Silver Spring, MD. Later he and his wife Renee moved to Washington, D.C. before making aliyah to Jerusalem where they presently are living.

Full disclosure, I remember the wide smile of Elon, z"l, in photos as a friend at my son's bar mitzvah in Maryland and have known the Garfinkels since their time living in MD and D.C. However that may have influenced this review, I highly recommend and invite others to see the latest photo exhibition at the Jerusalem Theater and decide for themselves.

The exhibition is open until December 30, 2021  

Sun-Thurs 4:30-9:30      Friday 10:00-22:00pm 

Saturday night until 9:30 & during performances