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, Israel's 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 army's  Jewish Brigade. After fighting in Israel's War of Independence, he became a  professional news photographer, reporting on each of his young nation's  subsequent wars from the front lines, at first for the Israeli media and  later as a correspondent for Time-Life. He photographed all of Israel's  leaders, many of whom have allowed him a remarkable degree of access to  their lives; Ariel Sharon said, "I trust Rubinger even though I know he  doesn't vote for me." 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 Israel's 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 Rubinger's 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 man's 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.130 illustrations, 43 in full color.