Mordechai and Aryeh, a same-sex couple for sixty years, navigated life's complexities together, deeply affected by Aryeh's traumatic Holocaust memories. In his later years, Aryeh struggled with dementia, blurring lines between past and present, fear and reality. Their life, punctuated by hospital visits, grew increasingly fraught with anxiety. On Aryeh's eighty-eighth birthday, returning from the hospital, his health deteriorated once more. Facing the heartbreaking decision that his partner had "suffered enough," Mordechai refrained from seeking help. Mordechai told Aryeh that he "could rest," and on that night, Aryeh passed away at their shared home.
Mordechai often wears Aryeh's clothes to feel closer to him.
The photographer covered the car to symbolize Jewish shrouds, the traditional burial cloth in which a body is wrapped before burial.
father, Moshe Etzion, who took his own life at the age of 88. Kfar Monash, Israel.
One of Moshe's favorite activities was driving his car.
After his son was killed by a rocket during the Gaza War in 2014, he decided not to channel his grief into hatred. He volunteered at the "On the Way to Recovery" NGO and used to transport Palestinian patients from Gaza for medical treatment in Israel. However, his love for driving and the great independence it gave him was cut short after surgery, when doctors forbade him from continuing to drive. Suddenly, he became dependent and limited by others. Moshe, who refused to become a burden on his family, shot himself on his son's grave.
Studies among elders have shown that the loss of the sense of independence and physical mobility significantly harms the ability to recover.
Moshe took his own life at the age of 88. In his note, he wrote:
'...I say goodbye to all of you with love.
Death does not scare me.
I always wanted to die when my legs still carried me, and my head was clear.’
Sara, the daughter of Holocaust survivors, faced a challenging and complex upbringing overshadowed by her mother's struggle with depression. Despite the earnest efforts of her daughters to provide support, their attempts were ultimately unsuccessful, and Sara took her own life.
Stigma often leads survivors of suicide to conceal their family history, further deepening feelings of loneliness and alienation. As Sapir, Sara's daughter, shared, "We need to talk about it. Get rid of the shame."
Sara took her own life at the age of 59. Pardes Hanna, Israel.
Zipporah was known for her vibrant and active personality. However, her mental health began to deteriorate following the tragic death of her nephew in a military service accident. Yael, her daughter, reflects on the silence surrounding their family's suffering: "No one dares to ask, and I really wish they would. I want to tell the truth, to talk about the fear."
Sara took her own life at the age of 59. Pardes Hanna, Israel.
Inspired by her parents' decision to end their lives together at old age—driven by their fear of decline—Michal now finds herself at the same age they were. Sharing that same fear, she plans to end her life in Switzerland. Her husband, Yosef, supports her decision out of love and respect, but fears the pain of being left alone.
Shmuel, bereaved by the loss of his son in a terror attack, found solace in entrepreneurship and volunteering, especially with parents who suffered a similar loss. However, the isolation brought on by COVID-19 quarantines deeply affected him, eroding his sense of purpose and connection to society. Struggling with profound grief, Shmuel took his own life
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