American Photographer Captures Israel's Complex Reality in New Book
American photographer David Schachter has released "Hinenu," a book featuring portraits and life stories of 100 carefully selected Israelis, aiming to portray the country beyond its news headlines. The project, conceived before the October 7th attacks, was completed during the ongoing conflict, with the final interview and photo taken while his family sheltered from an Iranian attack. Schachter, who lived in Israel for two years and became a citizen, was motivated by a desire to understand the nation's complexity, which he felt was often oversimplified in international discourse.
Schachter meticulously built 100 demographic profiles based on Israel's census data, covering age, gender, religion, ethnicity, and origin. He then embarked on a nine-month quest across the country to find individuals matching these specific criteria, often relying on personal connections to locate subjects. He noted that despite the country's small size, its interconnectedness made finding people surprisingly feasible.
The book showcases a diverse human mosaic, including a 95-year-old Holocaust survivor, an ultra-Orthodox toddler, and a Muslim nurse. Schachter emphasizes that while the war is present in some stories, the overarching themes that emerged were trauma, resilience, and community. He observed an extraordinary capacity for recovery, almost always facilitated through community support, which he found deeply moving and unlike anything he had witnessed in the US.
Schachter self-funded the $150,000 project to maintain artistic integrity, printing an initial run of 3,000 copies. He does not expect financial profit, stating his goal was to fulfill a dream and contribute to Israel. The book's English release has found a significant audience among American Jews seeking a deeper understanding of Israeli life beyond politics and conflict. Schachter, who recently returned to the US with his family, got his first tattoo on his last day in Israel: the words "Modeh Ani" (I give thanks) on his foot, symbolizing his gratitude for his time in Israel and his ongoing desire to learn more about its intricate nature.
