Saving Israeli Farms

2024
I spent two weeks volunteering on Israeli farms struggling during wartime after the October 7th attacks. The agricultural sector is at risk of collapse, as most of Israel’s produce is grown locally. 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. There are some new migrant workers from India, but 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. Agriculture has been an integral part of Israel, since its foundation, and farms have been passed down through generations. These photos focus on daily routines, the shifting labor force, and the international volunteers stepping in to support Israeli society.