Activism is Sexy | Boudoir : Hallel

Before I met Hallel Abramowitz-Silverman, I knew her as the teenager that got arrested at the Western Wall with her mother for wearing a prayer shawl. Those images I saw 10 years ago have been forever etched in my mind.

While Hallel has done a lot of work with Women of the Wall, her activism doesn’t end there. If you find yourself scrolling through Instagram and come across her profile, justhallel, you’ll see an incredibly beautiful, passionate, and articulate woman who has so much to share with the world. I was taken aback by her confidence and unapologetic nature, and her motto, “It’s cool to care,” couldn’t have felt more true. 

When we started speaking, we connected on women’s issues and our love for Israel. My conversations always lead to sexuality and body image, and we began to discuss the double standards that women face, even in our modern day and age.

Hallel said, “I’ve always felt the outside pressure not to present myself as sexy. People tried to tell me that I shouldn’t feel comfortable with anything that shows cleavage, the shape of my body, or things like that. If I did do that, they told me that I wouldn’t be taken seriously.

When Rebecca reached out, I felt a huge sense of relief. Like what? What I’m feeling for so long is legitimate? I felt validated in the personal things I’ve been fighting for.” 

The last decade of my boudoir photography and coaching career has given me the opportunity to explore the ways in which women have been taught to hate their bodies and how we can learn to love ourselves and show up fully in the world. 

I’ve worked with thousands of women. I’ve heard so many stories. I’ve seen so many beautiful bodies. I’ve witnessed women finally being able to approach themselves with the compassion they deserve. I’ve also seen how the struggles of the patriarchy, misogyny, diet culture, and beauty standards are still very present in our everyday lives. 

Don’t tell me that there’s no patriarchy when men can get away with sexual harassment, and women are still being told to cover up so they don’t tempt them.

Don’t tell me that there’s no diet culture when at least one person dies from an eating disorder every hour, in the U.S. alone, and it’s only on the rise. 

Don’t tell me that beauty standards don’t affect us, and it’s only the insides that matter when it seems like all conversations just lead back to women’s bodies never being enough.

When Hallel and I spoke, we both were frustrated with the idea that we were constantly being told that we needed to choose the box that we would like to fit into.  

You can either be smart or sexy. An activist or sexy. Spiritual or sexy. Funny or sexy. Sexy just wasn’t available for those who wanted to be taken seriously. 

It’s not only frustrating. It’s oppressive to face serious consequences simply because we exist and are not willing to hide parts of ourselves. 

Hallel shared, “People always told me I should have two Instagram accounts, one for politics and my activism, and then a personal account. At the time, I couldn’t really explain why I didn’t do it, but now I realize why. It felt like a lie to split it. It would be as if I was two separate people. I would be compartmentalizing parts of myself to make it more acceptable for other people to digest. I am so happy I understand now why I felt that way, and my gut told me not to do it. I would tell myself, “Don’t do it Hallel! You are one.”

Why are we not encouraged to show up fully? Fuck that. I’m not interested.”

There are many people who feel that any type of expressed sexuality is playing into a stereotype that has objectified and mistreated women since the beginning of time. Not surprisingly, Hallel got backlash for posting these images. 

I just don’t agree. My work has always been and will always be about women reclaiming their bodies and their sexuality. It is a profound statement of taking back our autonomy and our rights. Get your opinions and your laws off my body, like for real. Whether I want to wear a burka or wear a bikini in the street, that is my choice.

Part of feminism is understanding that what is empowering for you might not be empowering for me, and celebrating the hell out of that.

Makeup and Hair by Jaquelyn Lawrence Beauty

Kodak Film // Processed and scanned by Panda Labs

Feeling It All | Boudoir : Leah

I remember the very first conversation I had with Leah. I thought she was beautiful and interesting, and based on the things she shared, I was definitely intrigued to know more about her. We spoke about her reasons for desiring a boudoir experience. We spoke about her feelings about being photographed in the past. We spoke about sexuality. We spoke about her journey toward becoming a rabbi, and how that played a role in all of this. By the end of her discovery call, she told me she had to think about it, and shortly after, decided it wasn’t the right time for her.

As much as I want every woman in the world to experience boudoir right now, I can also appreciate that we are all on our own journeys, and things really do happen when they are meant to. It’s all about Divine timing.

When she reached out to me again, it felt right. She was ready. Scared, of course, but ready to take the leap. This isn’t something I take lightly, and I could tell how powerful it was for her to decide to do this. The first step is always the hardest, and usually, the most significant.

What I love most about Leah and how she approached this experience was that she gave herself the permission to truly feel it all. Our growth happens when we lean into discomfort. In places of discomfort, we learn the most about ourselves. We face our darkest parts. We gain clarity about who we are and what we want in life. It gives us the opportunity to choose to meet ourselves with kindness and compassion.

I am so honored that Leah allowed me in on her beautiful journey.

I’m excited for all of you that she is allowing you in, too, by being part of and sharing this interview I had with her just a couple of weeks ago…

In Leah's words, “Before this boudoir experience, I felt good about my body overall. I’ve had a long journey already toward being with my body and loving my body for what it is and what it isn’t.

The main reason I decided to do a boudoir session was not so much to help me feel better about my body, but rather it was a chance for me to affirm that I was worth spending a lot of money on. It felt like a stretch for me to spend the money on myself. I’m currently a graduate student, and it felt strange investing in myself at that time. That’s why it felt like something that I really, really needed to do.

I was looking for something to boost my overall self-worth and do something that in some ways was just for the moment. At the same time, the pictures are lasting, and they are a testament to the experience of doing the session. For me, the pictures were very, very affirming in this way.”

“When I first spoke to Rebecca, I was, and still am, exploring my relationship with my own sexuality and having questions in a few different ways. One is the fact that I am studying to be a rabbi. It’s a huge part of my life and a huge part of the commitment that I’m making to the Jewish community and the world at large. 

I have been questioning the ways in which my sexuality is private, of course, but also how much it can or should be a part of my public life. My sexual identity informs the ways in which I move through the world as a sexual being, and that is an important part of my life as well. Becoming a rabbi is a road of empowerment for me, and in a similar way, this is a journey of claiming my sexuality, recognizing my desires, and healing from certain sexual experiences. All of that has been a part of my own empowerment. 

Choosing to do the boudoir session was a part of that as well. I realized, “Oh actually, I want this, and I don’t need a romantic partner to be the reason why I do it.” To come to a place where I decided I wanted to do this was empowering. It was really for me to embrace my own sexuality and celebrate and love my body.

I came to Rebecca at kind of a low moment in my life of feeling not as much self-worth and not a great sense of enoughness. When I reached out, it was near my birthday, and I saw it as a way back to feeling whole and enough as I am.

The boudoir experience was a piece of reclaiming myself.”

“During the process, Rebecca really invited me to be mindful at every moment. Being a yoga teacher, I embraced that. It felt like a special opportunity to have this experience with mindfulness. For example, I enjoyed receiving journal prompts beforehand and having conversations with her for me to reflect on. There were some challenging feelings that came up, and Rebecca was able to hear and hold it. It made me feel like, “Ok, this doesn’t need to be perfect. Nothing in life is perfect.”

Part of that feeling was the build-up and anticipation of trying to make this a specific experience, and in the end, accepting it for what it was. I’m really grateful for the fact that I got to reflect and be mindful as a part of this. It definitely wouldn’t have been the same to do this kind of experience with someone who was just like, “Ok, great. Come in. Let’s take some pictures.”

“One of the best parts of the experience was going lingerie shopping. Rebecca recommended going to Miss Masimore, a lingerie store in Tel Aviv, and I literally fell in love with everything that was there. It was really the most pleasant shopping experience which surprised me because I have had a lot of difficulty with clothing shopping in the past. It’s where I feel the most insecurities about my body because I feel like nothing fits me. I have thoughts like, “It’s my body’s fault. I’m not attractive. Like woe is me, the world doesn’t design clothing that fits my petite body type.”

The few times I had gone lingerie shopping in the past, every bra felt uncomfortable. Like why? Why can’t we make things that are sexy and comfortable?

I just hadn’t had a great experience with it until I went to Miss Masimore. It was so fun to be picking out lingerie, by myself, and for myself. Of course, I had the photoshoot in mind with the intention of bringing out different parts of myself in each part of the boudoir session. I normally would’ve brought my spouse with me to do that kind of shopping, but doing it alone was so empowering and really healing for me.”

“Little pieces of frustration with my body definitely came out in preparation for the shoot and some anxieties that I hadn’t expected. I doubted if I would actually look good in the lingerie I had chosen and had a lot of anxiety about my outfit selection. 

I felt this pressure that I was putting on myself, and I felt it even during the session. Yet going into a room and saying, “Here I am in my body. Take pictures of me. I trust you,” was significant. It was an experience of surrendering and trusting. Even at the time, I knew that it was going to be an important part of the experience for me.”

“When I received the pictures for the first time, I was really thrilled. Of course, there were some I didn’t like, but they weren’t the focus. I was able to see those and recognize that there were so many others that I loved. It was interesting that many of the pictures I loved were the ones that I remember feeling the most comfortable, mindful, and present in the moment. The ones that I didn’t like as much were experiments in shapes and space. It actually reminded me of the ways I do and don’t speak up and assume other people will know what I want. At the same time, I felt a lot of pride in the strength of my body and in its beauty. 

The entire experience was so positive overall. I see this as a very Jewish teaching. We are supposed to break glasses at weddings and reference Jerusalem’s brokenness even in the midst of joy. It tells us that we are allowed to experience multiple emotions at once. 

I think that’s also true in life. It’s just the human experience. To honor that in this experience, that it’s not positive at every single moment is important because nothing in life is like that. Practicing and zooming in on how we can live in multiple states and multiple realities at once is such a good lesson that I need over and over again.”

“My boudoir experience definitely has had a lasting impact. I did my session in December 2022, and in June, so six months later, I was asked to share a story about chesed (kindness) in my life. The story that I told was about having this experience. I shared that going lingerie shopping and doing boudoir was a way in which I started to return towards treating myself with loving kindness and believing in myself.

It helped me find my self-worth in a new way after having felt lost and like I didn’t recognize myself. The whole experience was powerful and continues to be powerful for me.”

“Working with Rebecca was lovely, and I felt like I could share honestly about why I was coming and who I am. It’s so wonderful to have experiences in which we can tell strangers our story and let ourselves be intimate with them.

I would definitely recommend this to other women. I think we’re all deserving of people who make us feel beautiful and whole. This is not the only way to love and celebrate our bodies, but it is definitely a fun way. I would encourage people to use it as a tool to propel them towards healing and wholeness within themselves.”

“I’ve really enjoyed looking at the pictures and sharing them with other people. I feel so proud of them and excited by them. I feel they are such a testament to what I’ve been through. They are a testament to my strengths and weaknesses, my courage, vulnerability, power, femininity, and all of the things that make me who I am, whether or not other people see that. 

When I look at myself in the pictures, I see the journey that I’ve been on, and that is so invaluable.”

Hair and Makeup by Rhonda Lev at Beauty by Rhonda

Kodak Film // Processed and Scanned by Panda Labs

In My Element | Bridal Boudoir : Davina

“Becca, we’re engaged!”

I hear my little sister’s voice on the other end of the phone. Tears well up in my eyes, as I think about how her life has led up to this moment. 

It felt like just yesterday that we were giving dance recitals in front of our fireplace and laughing so hard that we fell to the ground.

I still imagine Davina as a teenager, my partner in literal crime… (If you know, you know)

…navigating the world for the first time together.

I have so much love in my heart for the moments we’ve shared together over the years, and it’s been amazing to witness who she has become. Especially after overcoming lots of obstacles that we faced in our early years. 

I don’t think either of us would have ever imagined the paths that we chose in life or the places we’ve arrived in.  

Which makes it all really beautiful and obviously Divinely orchestrated…

In the words of Davina, “My story is complicated, chaotic, and very overwhelming to discuss at times. 

After growing up in an environment where I was violated and taken advantage of, I had these patterns that continued to show up over and over again. Those who were watching from the sidelines noticed the scary and dangerous trajectory I was headed down. 

At some point, I knew that I needed to make a change. I realized I didn’t know how to love myself. Fast forward to my late 20s, I stopped blaming everyone else around me and created change in my life. I finally found my purpose and someone in my life that not only fulfilled what I was looking for in a life partner but also someone that continues to make me a better person each and every day. I feel seen, I feel appreciated, and most importantly, I feel loved.

This boudoir session embodies exactly who I am and how comfortable I feel in my own skin today. I wanted to do this as a way to honor and celebrate how far I’ve come on my journey as well as gift my husband-to-be something meaningful and sexy…”

“Leading up to the shoot, I did experience some fear and anxiety mostly surrounding logistical things. There was also a voice in the back of my head that didn’t feel totally prepared because I had never done anything like this before.

But I trusted my sister when she said she would help guide me every step of the way, and that’s exactly what she did.”

“I felt so comfortable and safe having Rebecca photograph me. Whether she was my sister or was not related at all, I know that she makes the experience so personal. We spoke a lot beforehand, and she kept everything in mind to give me the best experience.”

“When it came to some of the more “risqué” moments, it honestly felt so natural and actually very liberating! You can see it in my facial expressions as you look through my pictures. I am glowing from head to toe and truly felt in my element. I walked away from my shoot feeling very empowered and proud of myself.”

“It wasn’t until I received the photos that I realized this may have been one of the first times in my life where I can say I really fell in love with myself and my body. There are no words to explain how I felt when I received these pictures back from my sister, but I do know that it changed me.”

“I have grown from this experience. My self-confidence and the way that I look at myself have really improved. I know what a badass I am now.

I have been put down for my physical appearance my whole life, and I finally figured out that those hurtful words probably never had anything to do with me.

It’s a special feeling when it all clicks, and you finally understand your worth.”

Kodak Film // Processed and Scanned by Panda Labs

Makeup and hair by Alex Simcosky Glaviano - AG Artistry Kansas City

Venue: Beehive Studios in Kansas City, Missouri

Celebrating Out Loud | Israel Boudoir : Malka

“I am Malka. An artist, calligrapher, wife, mama, proud friend of Rebecca, and mainly a human just trying to figure life out.

I did a boudoir session as a treat to myself. I did it before I was ready or really knew why I wanted it on a deeper level.

That's how I do a lot of the more important things in my life. On a whim. So far so good.”

“I have admired Rebecca's work since I first came across it on Facebook years ago. I knew her talent was something special and worth following.

I never actually imagined myself doing a session though. I couldn’t envision for a moment that I would be the subject of such a photoshoot, despite my interest in it. Seems weird now! 

Then suddenly, late last year I got a strong feeling that I wanted to book a boudoir shoot with Rebecca after I had my best month in my business yet. That was my first idea for a self-love splurge! So I did it.

I decided to treat myself to a gorgeous boudoir experience. And I’m so thrilled I did.

The scheduled date fell at the perfect time, in a period of joy and self-love that I had no idea was coming. It was all so synchronized in ways I can only appreciate and can’t fully understand.”

“I have always been relatively happy with my body and appearance, but I was raised to see my body as something to be covered, to be somewhat shameful of, and to be hidden from the world.

I never really had a chance to think much of my body on a deep level or to come face to face with it because it was usually behind something. I did struggle with binge eating throughout high school and undiagnosed stomach issues, so I have struggled, but not really with weight or appearance. The challenge was more related to the physical sensations my body held and the treatment of my own body and self-esteem issues that come with the self-harm of stress-induced overeating. 

Basically, I considered myself lucky to be naturally thin and close enough to beauty standards, but I didn’t love my body deep down. I just accepted it and tried to stay thin.

Through my boudoir experience, I understood what celebrating beauty without constraint does for the mind, for joy, and for freedom.

I didn’t expect to feel that. I expected to feel beautiful but still hidden. This session allowed me to feel exposed in the best way. In a safe space, in beautiful light with my wonderful friend!”

“A lot changed in my life right before the session so everything actually worked out perfectly. A month before my session I had a life-changing plant medicine experience in Costa Rica that really changed my entire mindset about life.

It helped me finally kick my binge eating habit and negative self-talk out the window. It opened me up to joy and love and the self-acceptance of where I am right now. I began meditating. I was eating healthier and doing yoga. I’d also begun dressing more freely in a way that felt more me and less influenced by outside rules and obligations.

So my session came at the perfect time, and somehow, without preparing, I was more ready than ever. I healed from within, and it helped me be ready to heal in my external view of myself and my body.” 

“My boudoir session with Rebecca was perfect in every way. The makeup and hair by Rhonda was so glamorous and better than I could have ever imagined. Rebecca was so fun to hang out with, and she made me feel so effortlessly comfortable. During the preparations, I happened to get a call from a dream client (Dior!) so that was another exciting unplanned addition.

After that, it took me a few minutes to let go and feel the posing more naturally, but Rebecca was patient and encouraging every step of the way.

The experience was pure fun and an example of jumping into a newness that I think keeps us young and ensures life doesn't become dull.

The shoot went by so quickly. Rebecca made me feel really beautiful and confident in a situation that was entirely strange and overwhelming to me at first.”

“I was on a high for the rest of the day and totally kicked ass at Dior in full makeup. It left me forever changed. I realized celebrating my outer beauty had value.

I gave space for my body to be celebrated out loud, and that was certainly a first. G-d makes us beautiful, and that is something to share in the right time and place. This place and time felt right, and I’m thrilled it’s been captured as a true art form with Rebecca’s eye and guidance.”

“This experience changed my perspective on sharing our bodies with the outside world. It helped me understand why others would share images of themselves or dress in a way that’s more revealing. It allowed me to release judgment of people who do that.

I still have modesty police that lives in my head sometimes, but overall I feel I have a new understanding and acceptance of what a sexually and physically liberated woman brings to the world. And it isn’t a bad thing. It just is. It’s natural. It’s what naturally happens when patriarchal control is relinquished.”

“When Rebecca sent me my gallery, I lit a candle to set the tone and then scrolled and scrolled and couldn’t stop. I was so happy!

There were so many photos I loved at first sight, and some I couldn’t believe were me because they were so darn gorgeous. Even the few that weren’t my favorite because they focused on a body part I don’t love, it felt good to see them. I was able to approach them from a place of joy and understanding that this is my body and it serves me. I celebrated those parts of me, too. I don’t have to look like a model from every angle. It just isn’t the whole picture of who I am.”

“We all deserve to be treated, dressed, and photographed like goddesses. We all deserve to be given the chance to see how beautiful we are through another’s eyes. Sometimes we need that outside lens and perspective to know our worth. It sparks an inner knowing.

It’s ok to receive help in this area and learn to love your body more as a result.”

“I’d recommend this experience specifically to religious women who don’t celebrate their bodies and feel they’ve been taught to hide them like it’s a bomb that might go off.

Women who don’t know how to let go because they were taught to hold it all in.

Women who want to laugh and breathe deeper. Honestly, I think that’s all of us.”

Hair and Makeup by Rhonda Lev

Kodak Film // Processed and Scanned by Panda Labs, Tel Aviv