PHOTOS TELL STORIES – documentary | filmmaking | photography | people | travel

Our world just got a little dimmer, as yet another bright shining light goes out… .Rest in peace, dear Yaffa.

We met Nachum and Yaffa, around 2008-9, whilst out riding our bicycles one those fine, bright blue New York skies, Sunday afternoon in Manhattan. We’d seen them ride past on their bikes, earlier in the day, and remarked on the cool-looking couple – Nachum on his low-rider, long hair tied into a ponytail, like some biker dude, but without the motorcycle. And, Yaffa, with her equally long, blonde, hair sitting upright and dignified on her Dutch-style bicycle.

Then, later that day, whilst on a pitstop, who should Florio be talking to at the bar when I came back from the bathroom…

‘We can only be so eternally thankful for that (seemingly) random meeting at the Ear Inn… and like four teenagers, we hurtled around the streets on bikes through Soho and China Town. Yaffa…spirit flying, a halo of hair… with a soul, that leaves an indelible mark on all our hearts… . Favourite nights in the Village… at your place, with a full table full of Yaffa’s Maghreb dishes, the kids coming in and out… .‘ Florio

And, so very much more than that. Great friendships were formed in a matter of minutes, it transpired, of meeting these two beautiful people. Who, it turned out, lived 5 minutes walk away from our apartment in the Village! Fate, kismet, or whatever you want to call it, was most definitely on our side that day.

Our hearts are broken… for Nachum, Nate, Gavi, Sara, and all the Cohen family. We love you. We miss you, Yaffa. New York will never be the same for us, without you in it.

With all our love,

H & Florio xxx