David Rubinger, Who Took Iconic Western Wall Photo, Dies At 92
David Rubinger’s famous photograph of soldiers at the Western Wall in 1967. Image by David Rubinger
By Naomi Zeveloff March 2, 2017
David Rubinger, the Israeli photographer who snapped the iconic photograph of soldiers at the Western Wall in 1967, died on Thursday at the age of 92.
The photograph has come to symbolize both the military and spiritual significance of Israel’s victory in the 1967 Six Day War against Egypt, Jordan and Syria.
But Rubinger apparently didn’t like the photo, possibly the most famous in Israeli history.
“Photographically speaking, this isn’t a good photo,” he said, according to Haaretz.
Rubinger was born in Austria and immigrated to Mandate Palestine in 1939. He took over 500,000 photos during his career as a photojournalist.
Israeli President Reuven Rivlin eulogized Rubinger, whom he knew personally.
“There are those who write the pages of history, and there are those who illustrate them through their camera’s lens,” Rivlin said of Rubinger. “His work will always be felt as it is seen in the eyes of the paratroopers as they looked upon the Western Wall, and in the expressions on the faces of the leaders of Israel, which he captured during the highest of highs and lowest of lows.
Contact Naomi Zeveloff at zeveloff@forward.com
A message from our CEO & publisher Rachel Fishman Feddersen
I hope you appreciated this article. Before you go, I’d like to ask you to please support the Forward’s award-winning, nonprofit journalism during this critical time.
We’ve set a goal to raise $260,000 by December 31. That’s an ambitious goal, but one that will give us the resources we need to invest in the high quality news, opinion, analysis and cultural coverage that isn’t available anywhere else.
If you feel inspired to make an impact, now is the time to give something back. Join us as a member at your most generous level.
— Rachel Fishman Feddersen, Publisher and CEO
