She Photographed the Worst Massacre Since the Holocaust — and Found Something Unexpected
She went places most journalists refused to go. She saw things the soul was never meant to see, and she went back again and again.
Chen Schimmel is a photojournalist who spent the year after October 7th documenting the worst massacre of the Jewish people since the Holocaust.
Her photograph "Holy Work" an ultra-Orthodox Zaka volunteer cleaning blood from a secular kibbutz, won Photo of the Year in Tel Aviv. In a single frame, two worlds collapsed into one people.
In this conversation with Jamie Geller on No Reservations, Chen steps out from behind the lens. She talks about photographing hostage families, injured soldiers who lost limbs, mass funerals — and what she found inside all of it: not light conquering darkness, but light and darkness living side by side, inseparable, the way the Jewish people have always lived.This episode will stay with you.
Chen's book is available now. All proceeds go to injured soldiers.🔔 Subscribe and hit the bell so you never miss a conversation like this.
Chapters
0:00 Intro — who is Chen Schimmel?Jamie introduces the episode and what Chen witnessed
4:50 From London to Tel Aviv — Aliyah at 18. Her Swiss mother, British father, and brothers who led the way
8:30 The first camera — passion becomes a callingFrom weddings to disaster zones; Haiti, Morocco, and the moment she knew
13:10 October 7th — the morning everything changedWaking to sirens, her brother's words, her father joining Zaka
16:00 Inside Zaka: what "cleaning" actually meansThe spiritual and physical weight of collecting remains for Jewish burial
21:00 The book — documenting before it's deniedWhy she made it beautiful on purpose, and why the world needs to hold it
26:00 "Holy Work" — Photo of the YearAn ultra-Orthodox volunteer in a secular kibbutz; two worlds, one people
30:00 The hardest days: funerals and what you can't photographThe sounds and smells no camera can ever capture
35:00 Eden's mother and the miracle that didn't come. A cup of tea, a Hanukkah prayer, and a funeral by the sea
40:00 Soldiers who lost limbs — more full of life than anyoneSheba Hospital and Morton, the ninja athlete with no legs
44:30 One year on — at the Nova site at dawn, October 7th 2024. Families, photos of the lost, and the sound she tried to put into words
48:00 Light and darkness live side by side. The realization at a soldier's second burial that changed everything
Jamie Geller is the Chief Communications Officer and Global Spokesperson for Aish. As a key member of Aish's senior executive team, she brings extensive experience in building a media empire that influences millions daily. An award-winning producer, eight-time bestselling author, and media and marketing executive, Jamie’s career spans renowned networks including HBO, CNN, and the Food Network, where she earned numerous awards as a producer and marketing executive.Follow Jamie on social media for regular new uploads and updates: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jamiegeller/TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@jamiegeller.com/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@jamiegeller LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jamie-geller/Website: https://www.jamiegeller.com/----------------------Chen G. Schimmel is a rising voice in photojournalism, capturing the human spirit in moments of profound crisis. At just 25, her work took on urgency after October 7th. As a staff photojournalist for The Jerusalem Post, she documented the war through the lives of displaced families, wounded soldiers, hostage families, and survivors of terror—revealing moments of resilience and humanity amid devastation.Her series October 7th: Bearing Witness has been exhibited internationally, and in 2024, her photograph Holy Work was named Photojournalistic Photograph of the Year by Edut Mekomit.Follow Chen on social media for regular new uploads and updates: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/chen_schimmel/Website: https://www.chengschimmel.com/
