Gershon Elinson, the legendary photographer of Gush Etzion passed away on Saturday, May 11, 2024, at the age of 75. Besides being famous for his 45 years of photography, Elinson was one of the first settlers in the city of Hebron. He then later lived in Efrat.
The mayor of the Gush Etzion Regional Council, Yaron Rosenthal, delivered a eulogy for Elinson:
“Our friend, the photographer, Gershon Elinson, of Efrat, passed away on Shabbat.
Gershon was a photographer who followed development of the communities in Judea almost from the beginning of their inception.
He documented the beginnings of the community in Ir Avot. He settled in Efrat and photographed the town since its establishment. Throughout the past decades, he attended every event held in Gush Etzion.
Officially, he was our photographer, but whoever knew him, knew that he was, above all, a true soldier of our communities. He regarded it his mission to tell the story of our communities on this good mountain, through the lens of his camera.
Gush Etzion owes much to him, and with God’s help, we shall find a way to salute and recognize him.
He was a true friend to me for many years.
I shall miss him very much.”
Some of Gershon’s photos:
