Passaic NJ, Black Hats
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I took this photograph in the small hallway at the entrance to my eldest son’s home. He, his wife and their five children live an Orthodox Jewish life in a community where the focus is on modesty, study, and an infinity of religious practice.
Everything here speaks of the simplicity, frugality, and harmony of their lives. The white walls, like the shirts they wear, contrast with their black hats. The vertical and horizontal lines create balance. Each hat (his and those of the three older sons) has its place for quick efficient snatching on the way to synagogue or school, as do the scarves and gloves on the lower hooks. The two small coin boxes attest to their focus on charity.
I have taken many portraits of the family. Those images mostly reveal what they look like. This one reveals who they are.
