Kolot Management is proud to bring you veteran photographer Debbie Zimelman. She moved to Israel just after draft age and never served in the army. When her friends’ daughters began volunteering for combat service in the IDF, Debbie chose to use her camera to gain access to the army and to document their experiences. The result was her first photography book, Women on the Front Lines.
Her book has taken on a whole new meaning over the past 16 months. Since October 7, Israel has undergone a historic shift – the number of women engaging in active combat has far exceeded army quotas. New units are opening their doors to female recruits. The army is now considering a policy change: drafting women into combat units rather than allowing them to enlist voluntarily.
When not working on a personal project, Debbie can be found freelancing for magazines, newspapers and organizations. She’s photographed numerous individuals, ranging from Hugh Grant to Suha Arafat, Ultra Orthodox weddings, and everything in-between.
Read more about her work here: womenonthefrontlines.net. You can hear Debbie speaking here.
Women on the Front Lines: Inside the Combat Units of the Israeli Army is the only book that explores the lives of IDF female combat soldiers. It’s available on Zimelman’s website and on Amazon.
