New York Times article - "The Disappeared Children of Israel"i’m proud to be a contributing reporter on this story for THE NEW YORK TIMES by MALIN FEZEHAI

In the state of Israel’s early years, a number of parents in immigrant transit camps were told that their babies had died. Their families believe the babies were abducted by the Israeli authorities in the 1950s, and were illegally put up for adoption to childless Ashkenazi families, Jews of European descent. A younger generation is demanding answers.

«Last year I traveled to Israel to interview families who have been mired in what is known as the “Yemenite Children Affair,” where there were over 1,000 official reported cases of missing babies and toddlers, though some estimates from advocates are as high as 4,500. The children who disappeared were mostly from the Yemenite and other “Mizrahi” communities, an umbrella term coined in Israel for Jews from North Africa and the Middle East. While the Israeli government is trying to be more transparent about the disappearances, to this day, it denies that there were systematic abductions.» – MALIN FEZEHAI

read the story in full HERE

Bride Meyrav Yehud, 24, has the final accesories of her Henna outfit adjusted. She is wearing the traditional style of Henna dress and headpiece from the Sana’a, Yemen region.

a story i produced for visual reporter MALIN FEZEHAI is now online at THE NEW YORK TIMES. read about how during the last few decades henna ceremonies have regained popularity in israel’s yemenite jewish community, as an expression of pride in their heritage and traditions from yemen. “i am yemenite on both sides, and it’s a celebration of my wedding,” the bride, meyrav yehud, 24, said. “these are my roots.”
photos and words by MALIN FEZEHAI

so honored to work with malin on this article about the henna ceremonies of the yemeni communities in israel.
click here to read it all

‘as you are’ says the universe.
‘after…’ you answer.
‘as you are’ says the universe.
‘before…’ you answer.
‘as you are…’ says the universe.
‘how…’ you answer.
‘as you are.’ says the universe.
‘why…’ you answer.
‘because
you are happening now.
right now.
right at this moment
and
your happening
is beautiful.
the thing that both keeps me alive
and
brings me to my knees.
you don’t even know how breathtaking you
are.
as you are.’ says the universe through tears.

– NAYYIRAH WAHEED in “as you are | you are the prayer” in Nejma