There are so many people who helped to make this book a reality.
First and foremost, my brilliant editor, Julia Abramoff, who suggested that we turn my desire to create a beautiful photography book about Israel into Passage to Israel, adding it to Skyhorse’s extraordinary Passage series. There aren’t many people whose editorial instincts I trust unquestionably. After creating two books with Julia, she is at the top of a very short list.
The thirty-four amazing photographers in this book. You captured Israel’s beauty; you trusted me implicitly; I will eternally support you.
Matisyahu and Chloé Simone Valdary inspired the spirit of this book. Both understand that to open people’s minds to the truth, first you need to touch their hearts, and only art—beauty—is fully capable of that task. I remain deeply honored that Chloé agreed to write a beautiful foreword for the book.
A slew of people helped with the very unglamorous work of writing and translating captions; finding obscure photographs, etc. Jason Paluch, Gal Levy Krager, Jon Sutz, John Wolfe, Martin Grossman, Michael Siegel, and Eric Harris of Israel Framed, this book would not have happened without your help.
A special thank you to Ronni Anderson, David Beck, and Jon Sutz for helping to turn this project into an international exhibition. Margaret Poswistelo and Jeremiah Schnee, for making the connections that led to its success. And Judah Deutsch, for always being there.
Sometimes, when things you expect to happen don’t happen, you find beauty elsewhere. Elana and Craig Kornreich, Kim Reisman Dickstein, Peter Thall, Aaron Noone, Celia Sealine Brown, Angela Lewis, Sonia Rosen, Owen Griffiths, Cherie Hagooli, Jackie Mishory, Harold Henkel, Andy Weissel, Erica Tures, Rachel Sher, Lea Ruskin, Jill Greenberg, and Steven Spielman all contributed to making this book a reality on the lowest of budgets.
My wonderful husband and son, for putting up with me when frustrations mounted.
My community of Facebook friends—Jewish, Christian, and Muslim—for helping me to stay strong when I first began to post about Israel.
Finally, it would be wrong for me not to at least acknowledge that if it weren’t for the haters in this world, this book would not have happened. Their hatred of Israel, of Jews, spurred me to want to create something beautiful; their lies spurred me to want to show the truth.
Israel is indeed a mirror to one’s soul. Those who see the beauty, who stand up for the truth, who understand the meaning, will never regret where they stood in this moment in history, when silence is not an option. Am Yisrael Chai.