From rockets to roses: Israeli artist transforms weapons into symbols of hope

In a small community near the Gaza border, an Israeli sculptor is transforming the remnants of conflict into works of art, giving new meaning to objects once intended for destruction.

Yaron Bob, an eccentric artist based in the village of Yated, has spent nearly two decades collecting fragments of rockets fired into Israel and repurposing them into sculptures, jewelry, and musical instruments. His creations, forged from the debris of ongoing regional conflict, have reached audiences around the world.

His workshop in southern Israel is used not only as a storage facility and a workspace but also as a shrine dedicated to his sculptures. Among his most notable works are menorahs crafted from rocket metal, including one lit at the White House by former US presidents Barack Obama and Donald Trump. Bob has also received commissions from international figures and institutions, including a piece intended for the European Parliament that was delayed due to regional tensions. 

Living just a few kilometers from the Gaza border, Bob has had direct access to materials from rockets fired by Hamas and other militant groups. In recent years, as conflicts in the Middle East have broadened, his collection has expanded to include parts from more advanced weaponry, including Iranian ballistic missiles. One such piece was transformed into a custom chess set for a senior US military official. The same missile was repurposed into a mezuzah, a Jewish decorative parchment with a small Torah scroll inside, that was gifted to Trump by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in June 2025.

Most of the rockets he acquires come straight from the IDF. He describes it as a "quid pro quo" situation, where he gets the rockets and the army commissions work from him. Above his work sit signed photographs of senior officers and both American and Israeli politicians.

Bob moved to Yated in 2000, seeking a quiet place to raise his family. Within a year, rocket fire from Gaza began targeting southern Israel. A close encounter during his time as a computer science teacher marked a turning point in his life.

Recalling the incident, Bob describes taking cover during a rocket alert, only for an explosion to strike just meters away. The experience left him struggling with symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder, including anxiety and physical tremors.

Seeking a way to cope, he began experimenting with rocket debris he found nearby. What started as a spontaneous act of reshaping metal soon became a therapeutic practice. His first creation, a rose made from a rocket fragment, marked a shift in his emotional recovery and gave him the name for his operation — Rockets Into Roses.

Over time, Bob expanded his work beyond personal healing. He now hosts workshops where participants, including children affected by trauma, interact with his creations. Using instruments made from rocket parts, he encourages expression through music, which he describes as a form of emotional relief.

However, the October 7, 2023, attacks and the ensuing violence in southern Israel deeply affected Bob and his community. Whilst Yated was largely able to repel the Hamas terrorists, dozens of Bob's friends and acquaintances were killed. The impact led him to step away from his work for several months.

His return to art was prompted by a commission tied to Holocaust remembrance. Asked to create a piece for a ceremony at Auschwitz, Bob crafted a sculpture from rocket material bearing the words “Never Again.” The work was later gifted to Elon Musk in collaboration with the European Jewish Association. 

The project renewed his sense of purpose. Today, Bob continues to create, driven by a message of transformation and hope.

“I need to be like a symbol that we want to live in peace and harmony, and we don't want war,” he tells me. “Whatever is thrown at us, we turn it from darkness into light.”

Watch the full report: