Israel Through My Lens ─ Sixty Years As a Photojournalist

Today, photojournalist David Rubinger stands at the peak of his profession: a winner of the Israel Prize for services to the media and a fixture on the masthead of Time, he is the only photographer whose work is on permanent display at the Knesset, IsraelGCOs legislature. In this fascinating volume, he reports his own story, which in many ways reflects the history of Israel that he has recorded so faithfully with his camera. Born in Vienna in 1924, he emigrated to British Palestine in 1939 and developed a passion for photography while serving in the British armyGCOs Jewish Brigade. After fighting in IsraelGCOs War of Independence, he became a professional news photographer, reporting on each of his young nationGCOs subsequent wars from the front lines, at first for the Israeli media and later as a correspondent for Time-Life. He photographed all of IsraelGCOs leaders, many of whom have allowed him a remarkable degree of access to their lives; Ariel Sharon said, GC￡I trust Rubinger even though I know he doesnGCOt vote for me.GC￥ But Rubinger has not confined his reporting to war and politics; by photographing the successive waves of Jewish immigrants from Europe, the Arab world, Russia, and Ethiopia, he has also created a valuable record of IsraelGCOs transformation from a country of six hundred thousand to one of seven million. In recounting his eventful career, Rubinger proves himself a gifted raconteur, sharing anecdotes of the many leading personalities he has photographed and telling the stories behind his most famous pictures, many of which are reproduced here at fullpage size. Also illustrated are a selection of RubingerGCOs never-before-published personal photographs, which provide vivid behind-the-scenes glimpses into the fast-paced and sometimes daring work of a photojournalist. Both a personal account of one manGCOs life with the camera and a visual document of the birth of a nation, Israel through My Lens is an essential book for anyone with an interest in Israeli history or the art of photojournalism.

David Rubinger is an Israeli photojournalist. The first photographer to win the prestigious Israel Prize, the state’s highest honor, President Shimon Peres called him "the photographer of the nation in the making." He worked as a photographer for Time-Life for almost 50 years.

Ruth Corman is a London-based photographer, art consultant, and curator, as well as the former director of the British Israel Arts Foundation. She has organized many exhibitions in Britain and Israel, including two shows of David Rubinger's photography.

Shimon Peres is a former prime minister of Israel and a winner of the Nobel Peace Prize.