On March 17, Israelis will head to the polls for elections that may bring the country a new parliament, cabinet and prime minister. Recent exit polls predict a close race between Likud, the party of current Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, and Isaac Herzog's Zionist Union party.
Ahead of next week's crucial vote, Israeli-Dutch writer and photographer Judith Hertog spoke to Israelis about their lives and their aspirations for the country. Her project "Views From A Real Place" collects reflections from residents -- about their families, their pasts and their hopes for the future -- that together provide a glimpse of the divergent opinions across the country.
Hertog conceived the project during last year's war between Israel and militants in the Gaza Strip, amid the extreme rhetoric circulating at the time. "This project is my response to such polarized, extreme opinions," she writes. "I want to offer a more nuanced view of Israeli society and offer a glimpse into the lives and visions of real people who live here, with all their complications and contradictions."
Take a look at some of Hertog's photos below and find out how the Israelis she interviewed responded to one of her key questions.
Check out Judith Hertog's website for more of her work.