March 21, 2018, Updated April 18, 2018

For Nobel Laureate Prof. Dan Shechtman, who was born in Israel in 1941, his earliest memories of life in the fledgling state were of climbing trees, reading Jules Verne’s The Mysterious Island 25 times, and exploring his neighborhood with a magnifying glass.

Just seven years old when Israel was founded, he vividly remembers the moment independence was declared, and the war that followed afterwards.

Our intimate interview with Shechtman is the first in a video series celebrating Israel’s 70th anniversary. Watch for more videos celebrating Yom Ha’atzmaut – Israel Independence Day – with interviews of prominent Israelis born in each decade of the Jewish state’s existence.

You can also enjoy our 70th anniversary timeline, 70 Years of Israeli Accomplishment.

Executive Producer – Jonathan Baruch
Producer / Director – Haim Silberstein
DP – Eyal Sela
Editing – Shahar Beeri
Color Grading – Ari Amit
Sound – Oren Sharon

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