by Albert Levi (Hod HaSharon, Israel)
A few months ago, I returned home from reserve duty in Gaza
The streets were quiet
My boots were still covered in dust
And inside me, a storm was still raging
There are things we carry back from war that have no words
Things you don’t talk about over coffee
Things that settle in your chest and stay there unless you find a way to release them
For me, that release came through paint
I walked into my studio the very next morning
Not because I felt inspired
But because I needed to breathe
And sometimes the only place I know how to breathe is in front of a blank canvas
I opened jars of acrylic
Picked up my palette knife
And something in me started to move
I didn’t plan to paint what I painted
But I reached instinctively for blues and whites
And I began creating something that felt like light
Lions with fire in their eyes
Doves carrying quiet prayers
Trees that held the memory of generations
Maps of Israel drawn with energy and color, not lines
My name is Albert Levi
I’m twenty-three years old
I’m a Jewish artist living in Israel
And before I was an artist, I was a soldier
For the past year, I served as a combat commander in a special forces unit
I was called to the north, then to Gaza
I saw destruction, fear, grief
I also saw unity, bravery, compassion, and a fierce kind of love
And through all of it, I carried something invisible with me
A sense that even in the worst moments, we are not only fighting to defend life
We are fighting to preserve meaning, memory, and beauty
When I came home, I didn’t want to paint war
I wanted to paint what we are fighting for
Family
Spirit
Joy
Light
The stories we tell our children
The strength we find in ancient roots
The future we still believe in
So I painted
Every day
Not because I had something to sell
But because I had something to feel
And eventually, something to give
Now, my art hangs in Jewish homes around the world
Some are homes I will never visit
Some belong to people I will never meet
But I know that when they look at the canvas, they feel something real
They feel the roar of the Lion of Judah
The quiet of Jerusalem at sunset
The pride of Am Yisrael standing tall
Even when far from Israel, even when surrounded by different languages or customs, they see their reflection
I did not go to art school
I did not study composition or technique
I studied life
In the sand
In the silence
In the longing for home
My colors are not perfect
My lines are not clean
But they are true
Because they come from the same place the Jewish people always created from
From resilience
From heart
From hope that refuses to die
I don’t know if art can heal the world
But I know it can hold a piece of it
And that is enough for me
Albert Levi is a 23-year-old Jewish artist living in Israel. After serving as a combat commander in a special forces unit, he returned home carrying more than just memories. He carried emotions too big for words. That’s when he picked up a paintbrush.
Through bold colors, Jewish symbols, and emotional honesty, Albert creates art that speaks to the heart of the Jewish people. His work now hangs in homes across the world, as a reminder of resilience, identity, and the light we continue to fight for.
You can explore his paintings at www.albertlevi.com
The Jewish Writing Project 