3 month 3 days

This story is about a family who lost their baby in the age of 3 month, when he “forgot” to breath. According to the statistics it happens most often at this age, mostly with boys, in autumn, exactly as it happened in this case. But it still doesn’t give an explanation to this unbelievable tragedy. There is no acceptable explanation. Maybe this is the most difficult thing to understand. They asked themselves thousands of times why it happened and why to them and if they did anything wrong.

After the tragedy they had two possibilities: run away and go crazy or face the facts. These couple choose the second one as they tried to live on. But first they mourned their son according to the Jewish tradition.

In my series I tried to capture these moments in the first week after his death. Each pictures carries the baby’s remembrance or shows the symbols of the mourning. For example according to the traditions in the week of mourning the mourners expected to remain at home and sit on low stools. They have to cover the mirrors in the house. The mirror represents social acceptance through the enhancement of one’s appearance. Jewish mourning supposed to be lonely, silent, dwelling on one personal loss. Covering the mirrors symbolizes this withdrawal from society’s gaze.

In another pictures we can see the medicine which the mother had to take in order to stop her milk, or the covered changing table which will not be used again. I also took photos of the 5 years old sister’s drawing which was made on that day when her brother died. The parents decided to plant a small tree to remind for their son forever. The other pictures are also filled with memory.