By the Campers of Tel Yehudah

NYC Photo Expedition

Alex G. – ”WE RECYCLE”

“Because only then does one feel that all is as it should be and that God wishes to see people happy, amidst the simple beauty of nature. ”-- Anne FrankThis picture represents that we all need to keep the world that we live in beautiful and we all need to care for the world by recycling.

Noah R. – ”Everlasting Bridge”

“Whoever teachers his son teaches not only his son, but also his son’s son.” – Talmud Kiddushim 30aThe “everlasting bridge” is a metaphor for the continuous passing on of knowledge thru generations.

Ben V. – ”Happy Lock”

“In Your love, our God, You gave us holidays for happiness, festivals and occasions for joy.”—Kiddush for festival eveningsGood advice for a happy life, and holidays and festivals are happy.

Jackie W. – ”Common Humanity”

“It’s really a wonder that I haven’t dropped all my ideals because they seem so absurd and impossible to carry out. Yet I believe them because in spite of everything I still believe that people are really good at heart.” - Anne Frank

I was walking around Battery Park and I saw a man feeding the pigeons when another man sat down on the bench next to him. They didn’t know each other but they seem to have made a connection. The man didn’t see a homeless man, but a friend; someone to talk to.

Mikaela I. – ”Will it be Me?”"Our Trees”There is mass confusion in the forestScreaming something about missing treesAnd I'm wondering Where did they go? No lines on the highway no passing they say No green to my left and no green to my right And the man behind the axe Always gets a full meal Cause green never puts up much of a fightAnd death comes quickly So we pull up to our double car garage hideaways And we start to say

Where did all the trees go? They moved across the street to growWhere did all the lights come from They say you're big before you're small If the trees had a mother and a father like mine Would they stand up say praise the trees The trees will be fineAnd tell me is it so not cool to say Who will save the trees Will it be me

We all have our own perspective, the view life from our own lens.It is our choice to take the picture or be the picture.We could stand by in times of desperation or take action.

Celia H. – ”Remember”

As Jew, one of the things we do is remember. Remember our history and our hardships, so we will never forget.And so we can protect our future.

Remember the old, so we can protect the new.

Natalie M. – ”Untitled”

“Bring us in peace from the four corners of the earth and lead us with upright pride to our Land.” —From shacharit (the morning service)

It may not always be clear who you are or where you come from but there will always be a path back home.

Allison L. – ”Betty”

“The two most important days of your life are the day you are born and the day you find out why.” -- Mark Twain

Betty was a wonderful high-spirited woman who brightened by whole day. She had spent her whole life in the city where we visited her, Brooklyn, NY. She was nice and carried on a conversation with me about life, our shared faiths, and her recent radio appearance. The world seen through her eyes was a beautiful collection of happiness, friends and family. She made my whole experience in New York wonderful.

Tauby M. – ”Untitled”

“And G-d created man in His image, in the image of G-d He created him; male and female He created them.-- Genesis Breishit 1:27

Merav E. – “Paper Zoo”

“How wonderful it is that nobody needs to wait a single moment before starting to improve the world.” – Anne Frank

The paper zoo as it was called was a small display of two dimensional animals in the back of an alley seen from Highline Park. I think the text is reflected in this photo because someone embraced the fact that you can improve the world easily even on a small scale by just brightening an area. A little bit of time was all it took. The paper zoo spread a smile across my face, it was a small step to improving the whole world.

Deana B. – “City Sunset”

”Sometimes,” said Pooh, “the smallest things take up the most room in your heart.”-- Pooh Bear

This picture is just a picture of a sunset behind some buildings. It’s something small that you see everyday. But knowing it’s buildings in New York City is the amazing part.

Justin G. – “∞”

It is possible no matter how it may seem because all of the science in the world cannot compete with a dream.

Reality. What you get when dreams and imagination come together however YOU envision them.

Noam K. – ”A New Light”

“May a new light shine on Zion and may we all be privileged soon to behold its splendor.”-- Schararit

As the sun sets, so too does another page in our lives. The illumination caused by the golden sphere brings us hope that tomorrow’s beauty is that of gleaming sun.

Daniel M. – “Shattered Flowers”

“Two people were once fighting over a piece of lad. Each claimed ownership, and each bolstered the claim with apparent proof.After arguing a long time, they agreed to resolve their conflict by putting the case before a rabbi. The rabbi sat as an arbitrator and listened carefully, but despite years of legal training the rabbi could not reach a decision. Both parties seemed to be right.Finally, the rabbi said, “Since I cannot decide to whom this land belongs, let’s ask the land. “The rabbi put an ear to the ground, and after a moment stood up. “My friends, the land says if belongs to neither of you – but that you belong to it.”” - source unknown

In the background, you can see an abandoned building slowly going back into nature as no one cares for it. In the foreground, you can see sunflowers that are already part of nature. If we belong to the land, eventually the two items will become one.

Abby D. – ”The Amateur”

“It’s not how much or how little you have that make you great or small, but how much or how little you are with what you have.”-- Rabbi Samson Raphael Hirsh

The violin may be small but it reveals a bigger part of him.

Abigail I. – “Bridge of Serenity”

“The best remedy for those who are afraid, lonely or unhappy, is to go outside, some where they can be quiet along with the heavens, nature and G-d. Because only then does one feel that all is as it should be and that G-d wishes to see people happy, and miss the simple beauty of nature. As long as this exists, it certainly always will, I know that then there will always be comfort for every sorrow. ” -- Anne Frank

The bridge looks as though it is emerging from the rocks with a sole purpose of being a peaceful and serene place for people to find themselves and their connection to nature.

Ashley T. – “Together”

“let not a thousand friends seem too many in your eyes”–Solomon Ibn Gabirol, Jewish philosopher and poet, 11th Century

This picture represents community because even though thousands of people pass by the locks, at least one person will stop and add their own lock which then adds them to a community of people who pay attention to the little stuff.

Marissa H. – “Lei of Love”

“Do you feel the weight of the world singing sorrow or to you is it just not real ‘cuz you got your own things? Yea we all have our things I guess.” – The Rocket Summer This photo shows a flower lei in the shape of a heart at the World Trade Center. It has people crowded people. It shows how the horrific events of 9/11 caused so many people to put their other issues aside and join for the bettering and unification of society.

Anna W. – ”Painting Eden”

“Now God took the man and God placed him in the Garden of Eden to work it and to guard it.”— Genesis Bereishit 2:15

This picture represents individuals coming together as a community to preserve nature through art.

Rael R. – ”Waiting”

“When a stranger resides with you in your land, you shall not wrong him. The stranger who resides with you shall be to you as one of your citizens; you shall love him as yourself, for you were strangers in the land of Egypt: I the Lord am your God.”Leviticus (Vayikra) 19:33-34

A lonely man sits on a poleWe ask ourselves: What is he waiting for?A friend, a family member, the future?Or maybe problems he’s encountering,But who are we to be the accuser?

Jordan L. – “Nature’s Art”

In Central Park, I watched as artists painted the nature that surrounded them. Each artist portrayed the area differently, either the whole area itself or pinpointed a certain part of the surrounding nature that spoke to them. I liked the scene because you are literally looking at the nature and seeing its “clone” on canvas. There is no mystery to the subject of the painting, but the meaning behind it. Was there a connection to the particular part of nature or was the artist just mesmerized by its beauty?

“Because only then does one feel that all is as it should be and that G-d wishes to see people happy, and miss the simple beauty of nature.” -- Anne Frank