Nearly 200 people gathered for a powerful and emotional conversation with Shahar Dekel, a photographer and IDF reservist soldier, and Jay Klebanoff, a former United Jewish Federation of Tidewater president, on Tuesday, Jan. 14. Held at the Sandler Family Campus, the event offered a unique, unfiltered glimpse into the life of a soldier and the profound humanity behind the lens of his camera.
Dekel, a resident of Kibbutz Nahal Oz, shared his personal experiences, including the traumatic events of Oct. 7, when his community was brutally attacked, and how he showed up at his base on Oct. 8 with nothing but a few pairs of underwear and his camera.
Speaking about his creative journey, Dekel explained how his camera became his lifeline and shield, helping him process the sudden change in his life and capturing all the human moments he and his unit experienced during their preparation for combat.
Dekel’s message resonated with the audience as he emphasized the humanity behind the war. “Serving in the army post-October 7 is hard because you are so hurt and affected by what just happened to your country and the people you love, but every day, I would try to calm down and remind myself that I don’t want to be like them. I don’t want to be a war machine seeking revenge and retaliation. We went in with the mindset that we are just people trying to understand how to build a better future and make it back home to our families.”
Reflecting on his conversation with Dekel, Klebanoff says, “The conversation, along with Shahar’s photos, served as a reminder that the IDF soldiers are young men and women who are true citizen soldiers and that they really just want to see peace and the opportunity to live their lives free from the threat of terrorism.”
At the event’s close, Dekel expressed his gratitude to the audience. “Visiting Virginia and sitting here with you all really makes me feel like people still love and support us,” he said, underscoring how the divisive and negative climate surrounding the current conflict has affected these courageous soldiers.
Dekel’s photographs are on exhibit in the Leon Family Gallery in the Simon Family JCC throughout February.
For more Israel resources and to preview upcoming Israel Today events, visit JewishVA.org/IsraelToday or contact Nofar Trem at NTrem@UJFT.org.