Remembering Laura Ben-David

It seems that almost everyone has a Laura Ben-David story (or more than one). Her Facebook page is filled with tributes and I recommend visiting it.

I’ve known Laura for years but our relationship strengthened when I reached out to her in 2016, knowing she was working for Shavei Israel, the organization headed by Michael Freund that “Helps Lost and Hidden Jews throughout the world to return [to Israel].” I told her we’d like to invite the women who were believed to be from the tribe of Menashe, who had come from India and were living in Kiryat Arba, to our Raise Your Spirits Theatre show “SISTERS! Daughters of Tzelofchad” as our guests, as the daughters of Tzelofchad were from the tribe of Menashe. (Yes, last week’s parsha.)

When I realized that our wonderful in-house photographer, Rebecca Kowalsky, couldn’t be there that night, I asked Laura if she could take a few photographs.

She did one better. She photographed and wrote a blog for Times of Israel about the show, called “Raising our Spirits: A Photo Essay,” including some of her wonderful photographs, one of which became an iconic photo of the show and is included in a video clip of one of the songs in the show. A song whose title is, so appropriately, “How does one Remember?”

Later in 2016 Laura and I were both at a press event for Miriam Peretz. I was writing a review of Miriam’s book, “Miriam’s Song: The Story of Miriam Peretz,” and asked Laura if she had a good photo to include, and she sent me the one also included here. She was always so generous with her time and her work.

That same year, while decluttering closets, I gave Laura some winter coats and jackets to give to the B’nei Menashe in Kiryat Arba. She said they would love them, as they did not come with winter clothes from India. She took them, and later I gave her more.

And then, in 2017, I went to the airport as another group of B’nei Menashe were landing in Israel and I took some photos of my own. Laura, of course, was there also. Some of those photos are here. Joining in meeting them at the airport and welcoming them on aliya to Israel was my way of “celebrating” a year since my cancer diagnosis, and I was thank God healthy.

In 2020, when we were cleaning out our costume closet in the Gush Etzion community center theater, I found some sweatshirts with show logos that were never sold. I asked Laura if she wanted them for her B’nei Menashe people. She said yes! And they took them. She always had B’nei Menashe on her mind.

Then, in 2022, I was at the bat mitzva party of Halleli Markowitz, an enchanting, talented girl with Down Syndrome and daughter of Gaby Shine.  Halleli and Gaby had both performed in our latest show, “Joseph & the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat.”  I saw Laura there, as photographer, with Raphael M. Barishansky, who later became her husband, and got a photograph of Laura in action and also with Raphael. Those are also included here.

Finally, in November 2023, when Laura had cancer, I invited her to meet me at the Muffin Boutique in Jerusalem, to give her some encouragement, having been through my own cancer journey. We sat and chatted. I was moved by her inner quiet and grace. That’s who she was.

Safe travels, Laura. You have touched more lives than you can ever imagine. We were lucky to have you as long as we did.

The author is an award-winning journalist and theater director and the editor-in-chief of WholeFamily.com