Rachel Papo  Brooklyn, NY

There is some greatly tragic irony of Israel and it's nationalistic attitude. Please go ahead an glorify this as a movement forward for feminism, but is it really? Rather than empower femininity, the Israeli Army encourages what is generally the most abhorrent part of masculinity, war, death, and subjugation.

war is a mans game, and i find it inspiring to see it from a womans point of prospective. this really touched me. the way she stands knowing what is to come but to naive see it for it is. death in all its forms. the way a man see war before hes been threw it.
i like how it shows us men and women can live and die for something they believe in. with no real understanding of what it is to die. it says me that men and women are the same, everything and nothing all at once.

Amazing! Every photo shows passion & dedication of the subject.
From the intensity of the ballet student to carrying a rifle to the showers.
Theirs is not just 'military service' but defending the home that God gave them uniquely in history. Too many powers around the borders & around their land, would see them destroyed for these young people to not consider it an honor to serve. That is a devotion beyond mere patriotism.
Every photo in the entire portfolio shows excellent artistic composition.

nothing hotter than a chick with a machine gun and sandels!

Keep it up!

Really beautiful work Rachel. You color sense is sublime...

Absolutely stunning. Your vision of the stern and empowering beauty in people is very tender. I will revisit the images on your website often. I look forward to seeing more of your visual discoveries.

Exquisite narrative, I look forward to future projects.

Peter HJ above, your view of Israel and its female soldiers is narrow and ignorant. From the comfort of your home, in a place where the status quo is 'every man for himself' you obviously cannot imagine life in a country where you would grow up with excitement and anticipation to actually serve your country and feel obligated to do this for your family, friends and the strength of your nation, and be thankful for great public education and health services you received for 18 years before being called to land a hand.

True, Israeli law indeed requires all adults to serve in the army. Those who don??t want to however, can find many easy ways out.

I find it unfortunate that you cannot recognize the desire that these people have to serve and protect their loved nation. Putting this aside, Israeli women get a tremendous opportunities with the army; they meet new friends, learn skills and professions, survival and self defense, and often begin their academic lives in the army and meet their future spouse. At the end of their service they get a nice bonus and many financial and social benefits.
This process yields generations of independent women and it's no wonder that this is the leading nation in the world in number per capita of women scholars with Masters and PHD degrees, female inventors and female entrepreneurs. ...And while America still asks itself whether it is ready for a female leader, Israel is already headed by its second female leader in the past 60 years, a women who by the way started her career in that "forced" military service you cay out about.

Your understanding of Israel as a "regime which refuses to distinguish strength from brute force" is a simplistic, mindless, and uneducated view of a nation in a complex and delicate no-win situation.

hey! I saw the second one on National Geographic(Greece) last month!

The first one is great too.. The colours match so well that it could be a painting.

aaah- religion, geographic mentality, and guns

see "spaceport america". the grandchildren of these girls will be sold luxurious space condos within one hundred years.

Most likely they will claim a space quadrant in the name of (insert god here).