The story begins at the end of World War II. The Jews of Europe embarked on ships in hopes of reaching the Land of Israel. The ship “Af Al Pi Chen” was captured by the British army, and the passengers were sent to a detention camp in Cyprus. Among them was my father, David Zwerdling. During the long year in the camp, using a small knife he kept in his pocket, my dear father carved religious artifacts from the limestone scattered around the camp.

As you can see in the pictures below, my father was blessed with skillful hands.

A year later, my father arrived in the Land of Israel. His good hands helped build the new country, where he created a home with a loving family. The religious artifacts he made in the camp were displayed in our living room as a reminder of the miracle of living in the Land of Israel with God’s help.

Years later, when I grew up and started a large family in the land, my father passed on the artifacts to me. They continue to grace our living room to this day.

After many years, when we moved our home from Haifa to Jerusalem, a creative spark was ignited within me. In the stones of Jerusalem, I found a connection to my father and began carving and creating religious artifacts myself.

Several years later, a tragedy struck our family. My beloved son, David Dedi Zwedling, passed away unexpectedly in the prime of life.

The religious artifacts that connected me to my late father now became a bond with my son, who lived a life full of great love for God and was deeply connected to the hills of Jerusalem.

Yours,