Saving Israeli Farms

I spent two weeks volunteering on Israeli farms struggling during wartime, after the October 7th attacks. Most of Israel’s produce is grown locally, and the agricultural sector is at risk of collapse. Hamas killed 39 Thai farm workers and took 25 hostage. I helped farmers like Shira and her father Amos tend their lemon groves just three miles from Gaza, as explosions sounded nearby. Despite evacuation orders, they stayed—if they lose the farm, they lose everything. I worked at large-scale greenhouses, like moshav Ahituv, where farmers lost nearly their entire immigrant workforce overnight when Thailand recalled its expatriates. Some temporary migrant workers from India have started arriving, but many are new to this kind of work, and training takes time. In Kibbutz Mefalsim, I photographed a grapefruit farmer who sheltered October 7th survivors after witnessing escapees from the Nova festival being gunned down. My photos focus on daily routines, the shifting labor force, and the international volunteers stepping in to support Israeli society.