AMY THOMPSON AVISHAI

YOUNG MENNONITES

It is Sunday in Zanesville, Ohio, and I am visiting a Mennonite community. "Do you want to join?" someone politely asks me.  

As we sit together in church, I'm quietly informed that this time is between us and God. No photos allowed. Later, I’m invited for a Sunday meal. A large gathering of extended family. No photos allowed. 

The Mennonites are a group of Christian Anabaptists, often mistaken for the Amish. They practice non-violence, believe in strong community and simplicity of life. Ohio is home to one of the largest Mennonite populations in the country. My time was spent in the southeastern towns of Zanesville, Logan and Carbon Hill.  

I photographed sparingly. Because I worked slowly, some gradually felt comfortable to let me into the rhythm of their lives-- at home, church, school, work, sofitball games and picnics. I was especially drawn to the children and how religion seemed to permeate all aspects of their lives.  

 

 

  • Reacting to report cards at the end of the school year
  • 2_YoungMennonite4s_ThompsonAvishai
  • Running in circles around the house
  • A sister and her brothers play on a trampoline on a Sunday afternoon, Mennonite family, Logan, Ohio
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  • Waiting in the dugout before taking the field, Mennonite community, Logan, Ohio
  • A teacher helps a student prepare for final exams.
  • A hymal book lies on a freshly mopped floor at school.
  • Fighting fatigue near the end of the day, Mennonite school, Carbon Hill, Ohio
  • Climbing a barn ladder
  • Sharing secrets while parents mingle
  • Soaring during recess, Mennonite community, Zanesville, Ohio
  • MINDFULNESS PHOTOGRAPHY WORKSHOPS
  • biography
  • contact
  • CV
  • WITHIN THESE WALLS: EDUCATING GIRLS IN RURAL MOROCCO
  • PEACE, VIOLENCE AND VISITORS, CAMBODIA
  • NELSONVILLE
  • YOUNG MENNONITES
  • SOLO IMAGES
  • COMMISSIONED PORTRAITS
  • HOLDING ON, LETTING GO - ongoing project

Images copyright Amy Thompson. Avishai 2018. Some images copyright The Valley News. Site design © 2010-2023 Neon Sky Creative Media