On the same day that Kibbutz Bar'am in the Upper Galilee celebrated its 75th anniversary, its members faced a devastating loss as 20% of their orchards were destroyed by fires caused by Hezbollah's rockets. Approximately 60 acres were burned and lost. "The fire spread rapidly through 70 rows of fruit-laden trees, and all we could do was try to prevent it from spreading further," recounts Ya'ara Waxelbaum-Stahl, an amateur photographer and wife of Paul, the orchard manager.
6 View gallery Before and after ( Photo: Ya'ara Waxelbaum-Stahl ) The lush fruit trees of the kibbutz have been an integral part of Ya'ara's life. Born among them, she even met Paul while working in the orchards under the scorching sun. Her wedding photos were, of course, taken in the shade of these trees.
For years, she has documented their beauty. "I've been photographing our orchards for so many years. I never imagined they would look like this – burnt and devastated.
These sights smash my heart in a million pieces." 6 View gallery Near the Lebanon border ( Photo: Ya'ara Waxelbaum-Stahl ) Significant efforts spanning years have gone into cultivating the deciduous tree plots. The phrase "blood, sweat and tears" couldn't be more accurate.
The founders of Bar'am have weathered tough times before, but the kibbutz has never experienced such a profound sense of helplessness. The Israeli leadership seems to normalize the daily reality of rocket fire into Israel's sovereign territory, which has unwillingly tur.