(Photos and writings by Shoshana Brand)
I spent some time in Israel in 2020, during the Pandemic months.
I am posting here some photos I shot during this time.
Joy – a clothing boutique, Beit Yitzhak, a small town near Netanya
A Subway (called Carmelit, named after the Carmel Mountain), located in northern Israel, in the city of Haifa
A public statue in Kiryat Hasharon. Local kids changed its look during the Pandemic
Kiryat Hasharon (near Netanya), the exterior of the local Community Center
A photo series depicting Netanya, a city by the Mediterranean sea
Tall buildings are being built there every day, covering the pure sand, wild flora, and wide blue sky. They rise up as a contrast to the rough and earthy look this town used to carry in the past.
A coffee shop with great pastries. A sign on the window reads the COVID-19 instructions in Hebrew
Closed stores and empty shopping centers during the first month of Covid-19. Later, the situation changed. Buyers came by, wearing face masks.
A local mechanic
Netanya train station
“Shufra” – a highly popular shoe store, located in a small town called Bitan Aharon. It was packed with shoppers during the Pandemic.
A local pharmacy at the mall, Netanya
“Hanamaru”- a highly popular restaurant in a small town called Beit Yitzhak. It was crowded even in 2020, but not so much in the month of March.
A local post office that has kept its old-fashioned homey look, Beit Yitzhak
“Muskat” – a popular restaurant located in a small beautiful town called Udim
Its design includes Israeli old-fashioned decor and newspaper advertisements from the 1950s and 1960s.
Vivino, a beautiful restaurant in Bitan Aharon
A typical colorful street market 
A natural food and vitamin store
A gas station
A family celebrates the birth of a baby girl. Family gatherings continue.
A jewelry store at the mall
The Sergeant Grove, Kiryat Hasharon, Netanya
This is a nice size park with trees galore. It is supervised and taken care of by the city but has not been alternated since 1947. The state of Israel wishes to keep this place in its raw form.
In 1947, the British ruled Israel, which back then was called Palestine. An Israeli organization, (called Irgun), which was fighting for freedom, was established against the British regime. Two British sergeants were kidnapped and brought to this grove by the Irgun as a response to the British who had captured three young men from the Irgun and threatened to put an end to their lives by hanging them. The Irgun threatened to hang the two British Sergeants they had kidnapped should the British go with their plan. The British ignored the Irgun‘s threats and hang those three Israelis. As a response, the Irgun hanged the two British sergeants in this grove.
Today the grove connects different parts of the city and is a beautiful and safe spot to walk, hike and watch the ducks in the winter. It’s even safe and highly inspirational to walk there at night. I spent lots of hours hiking, doing Tai Chi, and meeting my friends in this place.
Here are some photos that reflect the free spirit, bundles of joy, and social closeness. I shot those photos in Netanya, by the sea, at a local Water Park, BEFORE the Covid-19 eruption.
Hopefully, this high spirit will return to us very soon.
FIN