Bill has traveled to Israel numerous times since his first visit as an undergraduate in 1961. In 1980, and again in 2010, he returned, no longer a student, but a professional photographer, seeking to capture everyday life in historic spaces. With each trip, Bill’s stories provide a unique perspective of not only an individual growing and maturing, but also his experience witnessing a country age and transform.
From a young student hitchhiking to a professional photographer capturing daily life outside the Damascus Gate. We learn how Israel inspired Bill to experiment as an artist, from abstract photography to harnessing new technology to create giant panoramas. Commentary from Michael Brenner, the Lillian Abensohn Chair of Israel Studies at American University in Washington D.C., will provide historical context to the changes that Bill encounters with each passing visit.
About “The World in Front of Me”: In the summer of 2025, journalist and writer Ruth Andrew Ellenson sat down with famed photographer Bill Aron, and recorded more than 12 hours of interviews. For nearly 50 years, Bill traveled the world, photographing Jewish communities as near as his home of Los Angeles and as far away as the Soviet Union. From the American South to Cuba, from New York to Jerusalem, Bill captured it all. This series reveals never before heard stories from the artist himself.
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Presented by The American Jewish Historical Society. You can find “The World in Front of Me” on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or your favorite podcast app.
