Raise Your Hand

“Live Long and Prosper.” – Leonard Nimoy as Mr. Spock in Star Trek

I have always enjoyed photographing hands. Aside from the face, hands express a great deal of thought and emotion. Hello. Goodbye. Come here. Go away. Stop. Go. Love. Hate. Peace. Prayer. Compassion.

While visiting a nearby Jewish cemetery, I discovered a carving of hands that immediately captured my interest.

I was observing hands positioned in the style of Cohen or Kohen. Hebrew priests, known as Kohanim, would hold their hands this way when offering a blessing.

Do you notice anything familiar? The resemblance to Mr. Spock's Vulcan salute is undeniable.

Leonard Nimoy, who played Spock, was raised in the Jewish faith. As a child, he observed the Kohen hands in a synagogue. Years later, he incorporated the symbol into an episode of Star Trek where Spock returns to the planet Vulcan.

As previously noted, hands convey a wealth of information without words, and I am constantly attentive to the tales they tell.

The hand placed on the pages of this book, possibly a bible, serves as an example.

I discovered this hand at Mount Hope Cemetery in Rochester, NY. It evokes a sense of yearning for someone who is absent.

What does it convey to you?

Sometimes, I encounter a carving of clasped hands. Although the worn inscription above reads "farewell," this symbol is often interpreted as one person being welcomed by another in the afterlife, similar to a husband greeting his wife.

Lois. Gone but not forgotten.

The first time I saw this headstone in a cemetery in Marcellus, NY, I fell in love with it.

Its design is clean and simple, featuring a hand releasing a dove, symbolizing the soul's ascent to heaven. 

Then, there's Leora A.  

I discovered her in the same cemetery as Lois.

A hand with a finger pointing upwards. She left this world at the young age of twenty-seven.

The following photograph says it all.

If you haven't explored cemeteries yet, I urge you to do so. They offer art and history, beauty and emotion. It can become quite captivating. 

Many cemeteries from the Victorian era were crafted with rolling hills and unique trees, serving as parks where families could visit their loved ones and enjoy a picnic afternoon.

Why not pack a lunch and join me? How many of you are ready to embark on a journey?

Raise your hand.

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Christine Shephard is a photographer, writer, and avid taphophile. She makes her home in Central New York.

Images captured by Christine Shephard Photographic Design and the written content cannot be utilized in any other format or publication without explicit permission.

Photograph of Leonard Nimoy referenced from beforeitsnews.com