"I Wrote the Book in a Narrow Basement, Without Any Connection to the World"

When web designer Chaim Benisti stands before an audience to deliver his lectures, providing tools for website building and branding advice for organizations and companies, everyone listens intently. After all, he is considered one of the leading designers in the field. Few know that he entered the world of web design at the age of 15, as a young graphic enthusiast. "I took on difficult tasks designing websites for companies, and by 16, I had a small company managing websites with two employees under me," he recounts.

Benisti prefers not to dwell on the sites he designed in those days. "The designs were terrible, really awful, yet I managed to sell each site for a few hundred shekels, which was quite a good baptism by fire."

Afterward, he joined the army, where he served in various roles, and upon release, he worked as a security guard at the Prime Minister’s Office. But he quickly realized that his sole purpose was in design and graphics, with no other possible path.

Following this, he pursued serious and dedicated training in the field. "My love for graphics and creation came from home," he explains, "as I come from a family of artists, each involved in a different field of art, and my grandfather was a jeweler for the King of Morocco. He was also named Chaim Benisti and is often mentioned in historical books about the Jews of the East."

"Wrote the Book in a Basement"

Benisti's progress was swift. "In addition to designing websites, I specialized in designing logos for leading businesses, and by 25, with unexplained courage, I had already written the first book of its kind in Israel on 'How to Design a Winning Logo'. The book sold thousands of copies and is aimed at business owners who want to design their own logos and, of course, graphic designers looking for practical tools to assist in logo design, from idea selection to execution."

Incidentally, Benisti began writing the book during his time as a guard. "I worked in an abandoned basement at a highly classified security facility. No electronic equipment was allowed inside, including computers and mobile devices, so I wrote the book in old notebooks, and that's how it came to be."

What's the secret you share in the book? How do you teach people to design a winning logo?

"In my lectures today, before students and professionals, I surprise everyone by saying that people often think success in creating stunning and practical designs requires a highly developed aesthetic sense or special abilities, but it's not true. Design is an acquired skill, and anyone can hone their skills through learning and practice. I always encourage everyone not to give up if initially, it feels like they're not progressing or the results are unsatisfying. I remind them that I, too, designed websites that looked awful at first, but that's the way to learn and specialize, provided one loves and connects with the field."

In addition to logo design, Benisti has focused over the years on the world of web design, which he says presents many challenges for the designer. "It's not enough to create a beautiful and impressive site. It must also be practical and user-friendly, allowing users to perform quick actions and understand what they need to do and how to operate. Many designers are not sufficiently aware of this, causing a lot of frustration for them and their clients."

Do you think site owners appreciate good work and are willing to invest in it?

"There are those for whom this is their first time operating in the digital arena, and they genuinely don’t understand, often thinking they can save on website investment. But they quickly become aware of the digital power because with a quality site, you can achieve incredible results compared to what you might get face-to-face. You can learn about your clients through the site, know how many enter the site at any given moment, and even where the cursor hovers in real-time. This allows for results analysis and significant business growth. The coronavirus has accelerated this understanding among more business owners who have begun investing in digital, essentially their future."

A Dream of Hidabroot

Today, Benisti offers around 15 different services and projects, through which thousands of students have been trained. But he receives great satisfaction from a unique program he promotes biannually, entirely voluntarily. "Once every six months, I select a nonprofit whose work I identify and connect with and build a free website for them. I do this with the help of 20 web builders who join this project, and we gather together, spending half a day building a complete site from start to finish. We recently designed a site for an organization helping teens cope with online challenges and another for a charity working with orphans and widows, among others. This experience is satisfying and exciting anew each time."

Do you still personally design websites in parallel?

"Yes, but on a low flame. I receive about 40 requests each month, from which I only choose one to work on. I have the privilege, earned after years of experience and hard work, to pick sites that interest me and align with my values."

This approach led him to collaborate with the Hidabroot organization, designing various project sites. "The connection with Hidabroot started quite interestingly," shares Benisti, "about three years ago when I visited my in-laws for Shabbat in Or Yehuda. At the synagogue, I found Volume 5 of the book 'Biblical Archaeology', which had just been released, on one of the tables."

"I peeked at the book, its design, and content, and it was enough to wonder: 'How could it be that this book doesn't have a website?' With such an interesting subject with rich visuals, it's deserving of a stunning website. During the break between Kabbalat Shabbat and Maariv, I envisioned the website, and on Saturday night, I spent two days designing a page for the project."

Did Hidabroot know you were designing a site for them?

"Not at all. I planned to do it voluntarily, and after two days of work, I sent the initial draft to 'Hidabroot Digital,' whose address I found on their site. The material reached editor Dudu Cohen, who apparently liked it. That’s how our initial contact began, and from there, the rest is history."

The next project Benisti worked on was the unique 'Seventy Questions About Judaism' site, also launched by Hidabroot. He continued by designing the Hidabroot Kids site for children and the 'Sheva Brachot' site, which at the time belonged to Hidabroot. "I myself got married through that site, which felt like an incredible full circle," he shares excitedly.

These days, as evidenced, the Hidabroot site, considered the world's largest Jewish site, underwent a significant revolution with advanced design, extremely user-friendly navigation, and a stunning exterior design. The person behind the design and construction is none other than Benisti.

Can you tell us how long it took to build such a system?

"The design itself took about three months, during which I had to consider many small and large details, improve the user experience for millions of users accustomed to the existing design for years, address requests and needs, and consider the massive content added daily while preserving all historical content in the archive. It was certainly not a simple task, but eventually, I feel tremendous pride and happiness. Every designer has a secret desire to impact as many people as possible, and to do so positively and beneficially is truly fulfilling."

He also has a message: "I suspect there are people who recently opened the site and are struggling to adapt to the revamped design and the new article layout. It is entirely natural and normal. But it's essential to remember that it's all a matter of habit, and even if it's hard for some that their 'cheese' was moved, they will get used to the new design, understand its advantages, and learn to love it much sooner than they think."

After completing the Hidabroot project, can you disclose your next project?

"The truth is, I don't know yet, but one thing is clear – if a significant project comes along that will impact many, I'm in."