Acknowledgements
Many women and men have accompanied on this journey, and all deserve my sincere gratitude. First and foremost, my dear husband, friend and research companion, Nir. My darling daughters, Tom and Bar, and their spouses, for their unquestioning support, patience and understanding – it has not been taken for granted. Special thanks to the State of Israel for support in this ambitious project and faith in its success; to philanthropists Dr. Harry Sieratzki and Ms. Barbabra Sieratzki (London-Frankfurt) and Mr. Jack Achavan (Los Angeles), for their generous contribution and support for my study. My appreciation is also given to the French Military Archives for the priceless materials they shared, to Dr. Yaron Peleg Faculty of Asian and Middle Eastern Studies, Modern Hebrew Studies, University of Cambridge, for inviting me to write and research in a rich, welcoming academic environment. And lastly, to my wonderful students at the Interdisciplinary Program for Cinema History at Haifa University, my greatest critics – thank you, I have learned so much from you.
Special thanks to Judith Appleton, my editor and translator who has faithfully stood beside me for the past decade, and to Rotem Alter, the translator of this book, for braving the challenges of this intricate work.