Women’s Stories – Dorit Chesler
Meet Dorit – iota’s commercial manager, guiding the creative, production & operations from day one, ensuring we move in the right direction.
This month begins with a conversation with Dorit Chesler. Some of you may not know her, but she’s always here—with golden curls and a calming gaze—making things happen. Dorit is the commercial manager at iota and has been with Tal from the very beginning (even before, since they’re also best friends). Dorit organizes and connects the creative work, production, and operations in the studio, helping us move in the right direction, never afraid to ask the hard questions along the way.
If you’re looking for someone who can give you thoughtful and precise advice on almost any topic in the world—architecture, knocking down walls, salad seasoning, how well the salmon should be cooked, babysitter challenges, moral dilemmas of any kind—she’s the right person for the job. And if you’re looking for someone who can whip up an amazing meal even when there’s absolutely nothing in the kitchen—she’s that person too.
Can you introduce yourself?
I’m Dorit, 42 years old, married to Shay and mother to Asa, Yotam, and Ella. I live in Karmei Yosef and split my time between the pastoral countryside and the big city—I truly love both. In general, I think I’m made up of many contradictions, often finding myself somewhere in-between.
Tell us about your work? What field do you come from?
I’m an architect by profession, with a master’s degree in the structural analysis of historical buildings. It sounds fancy, but it basically means I specialize in building conservation. I’m very analytical, but also a visual person with a sensitivity to details. I’m drawn to old things that have a story and a history. I’ll always prefer something old or nostalgic over something completely new.
For the past decade, I’ve been the commercial director of iota. Here too, we preserve a traditional craft and give it a relevant place in the contemporary world. I sit at the center of the team—between design, marketing, and sales—trying to connect the needs of all the puzzle pieces and make sure everything moves forward in the right direction.
What inspires you?
Certain experiences really push me into action and creation. Things that achieve a certain wholeness and move me always fascinate me, and I often want to try and recreate that feeling. A really good dish at a restaurant can send me to the kitchen wanting to cook a gourmet meal. An art piece that touches me might lead me back to crafts I haven’t practiced in ages. A text I read can push me to pick up my notebook.
The same goes for spaces that move me—I have an inner urge to recreate certain qualities in my own way.
How does craft and handwork tie into all of this?
I’m good with my hands, and I like to occasionally dive into handwork—mostly as a way to give form to a thought or idea.
Choosing to study architecture was driven by the idea that it offers a medium where soft, creative qualities can exist within analytical and organized thinking. I believe architecture is a beautiful profession.
Over the years, my organizational skills have led me into management, and today, I feel that my role at iota really brings together everything I love, management and organization, aesthetics and detail, and the preservation of tradition as a value.
How has the current period influenced your inspiration and creativity?
This period is incredibly hard and complex in many ways. Our work at iota has been directly affected—our connection with the crochet community in Istanbul has suffered. It’s a relationship we’ve built over years, with sensitivity, care, and real female partnership.
It’s been almost two years since I last visited Istanbul. The connection with the women there is still warm and close, but our governments are creating major obstacles, and continuing to work together feels almost against all odds.
On top of that, the general mood is low, and it’s hard to see beyond the horizon. I try to remind myself that inspiration for meaningful action can still be born from pain and chaos.
Tell us a story about a dream that came true. How did you make it happen?
As a fresh architecture graduate, I was in love with Portuguese architecture. Something about the simplicity, respect for tradition, and stylistic clarity captivated me. I dreamed of moving to Portugal to study there.
I applied to a prestigious master’s program I didn’t think I’d get into, but I was accepted quickly and even got a scholarship. Shay took a year off, and we set off to Portugal. It was an amazing year. It also taught me that dreams can evolve as you go. Today, I allow myself to be dynamic with my dreams and how I define their fulfillment.
Right now, I dream of a house at the edge of a moshav—a piece of land where I can realize my ideas and desires in a way that’s truly mine. And I dream of writing something. Maybe another thesis or a PhD, or maybe a poetry book. We’ll see where the path leads.
A life tip / exhibition / album / motto
I have two recommendations.
The first is a small book called In Praise of Shadows, written in 1933. It offers a glimpse into the Japanese worldview. The title drew me in, and I read it in just a few hours after a friend returning from Japan told me about it.
The idea that shadows have value—perhaps even added value—and that not everything needs to be viewed in a harsh, bright light, is deeply moving. The second is a podcast called On Life and Death by Dafna Levy, where she hosts creative individuals for conversations about their experiences with loss and grief.
Maybe it’s because I lost my mother a few years ago, or maybe just because it’s a fascinating topic, but the conversations are deeply touching and thought-provoking.
What are you working on these days?
I’m working on setting up a new crochet community in other parts of the world. It’s a process that takes a lot of time and involves tons of tiny details—each one critical to the process.
I’m also working on a few new collections, improving our workflows, and more.
I work with a team I deeply believe in, and I’m confident we’ll continue to grow in a way we’ll be proud of, even if it takes time.
What’s your wish for the upcoming year?
I wish for the stars to align and for winds of change to begin blowing here. I wish that we bring the hostages home with whole hearts and a will to live—and that things get better. That we’ll be able to look toward the future here with hope.
