"Shalom!John here, the accent is from NY but I made aliyah after living in S. California for 30 years. Former Marine 62-66, Vietnam 65/66.Been playing with the camera since about 1977. Photographed Models in the '70s + '80s for fashion & glamor mags no one ever heard of. Photographed 100% more receptions then weddings. Preferred parties and large get together in the States… Never ever… formal stuff. In Israel… No weddings, Bar/ Bat Mitzvas, or Britzs…?First came to Israel as a tourist the end of '96 and continued coming as a tourist each year for weeks or months till 2003. Made aliyah in May of 2005 and have been living in Jerusalem since then. When people ask me if I am a professional…? I reply “only if you pay me”, never carried the camera with me in the States till I had a job to do. In Israel I am NEVER without it. The biggest compliment, I feel, I received was after a few trips here I was showing photos to folks at my congregation in the States and there were all all amazed saying: “My G-d all these Israelis are smiling… this can’t be Israel” & these shots were in the middle of the 2nd Intifada time period. That is basically my chosen style of shooting. I love this crazy insane place that continually gets me angry but I see, in my heart, the love, happiness & warm reality that is all over the place. That’s what my camera sees and that’s what I try to capture.Shalom + Tikvah J.V./ “Home is Israel, the camera is my security blanket… the rest is commentary!”