D25 - DCJCC Volunteers 2012

 Volunteers from the DC Jewish Community Center's annual D25 (read: Christmas) effort. Over 1000 people came out again to prepare, serve, and deliver meals, toys, donate blood, comfort the elderly, homeless, and shut-in, and to refurbish shelters and other community institutions for the needy, among other worthy projects.

Among the sites and organizations depicted are Father McKenna's Center, DC Central Kitchen, Food and Friends, Unity Healthcare, Mary's Center, Change Inc, the DCJCC, JAM DC (Jews and Muslims together), and Capital Hill Group Ministry.

Thanks again to Erica Steen, Gena Schoen, and Randy Bacon of the DCJCC and Behrend Builders, to Debbie & Fran Goldman and other members of Fabrangen, Stuart Levy of JAM DC, Ms. Vila Brown and Mr. Alton Poole at Change, Inc., Washington Jewish Week, Miss America DC Sarah Hillware, and the MWK havurah of Congregation Beth Emeth.

And especial thanks to reporter-du-jour, my dear Ruth Stromberg, for her energy, good work, and her quiet forbearing support for my projects.

I especially like the shot of the folks pulling the wagon along Pennsylvania Ave SE- (it kinda reminds me of the Beatles Abbey Road cover a bit)

Rikudei-Am - Dance of the people (celebration)

I photographed a joyous Israeli folk dance (Rikudei Am) surprise celebration in honor of Ben Hole, a Quaker man who has been an esteemed teacher in the DC and Baltimore area community for forty-plus years.

Book cover - "And We're All Brothers"

This is the tentative cover of a book I illustrated, by ethnomusicologist  Dr. Abigail Wood. It will be released by Ashgate, a noted British academic publishing concern.

The image is of the great-voiced and great-spirit, Adrienne Cooper, z'l.

Tu B'Shvat - collage

I just created this image for Fabrangen's Tu B'shvat seder.

Tu B'Shvat is the "new year for the trees."

Portraits- National Housing Trust- building revitalization

Here are some portraits from a recent assignment for the National Housing Trust.

The people pictured are residents and officials who attended a ribbon-cutting ceremony marking the re-opening of the upgraded Copeland Manor apartments, in Southeast Washington DC.

Klezmatics- Hanukah concert

Some images of the Grammy-winning Klezmatics in concert at the Montgomery College Cultural Arts Center in Silver Spring, MD.

Pastor Robert Truesdale, "the Pastor from the hood"

Some portraits of my friend, Pastor Robert Truesdale, in northeast Washington, DC. He does caring grassroots work out of his very modest dwelling, which serves as his church.

He is located near the Clay Terrace project, one of the city's most challenged neighborhoods.

Pastor Truedale is truly doing the good work of ministering to and meeting the needs of the very neediest in our community - with few economic resources to call his own. He does so with a kind heart and a generous hand, because it is the right thing to do.

Jewish Folk Arts Festival / 2012

Photographs from the 19th Jewish Folk Arts Festival, made on assignment for Washington Jewish Week.  

Some of the artists pictured are musicians from the Fabrangen Fiddlers, Kolot HaLev Choir, klezmer groups Lox and Vodka, Klezcentricity, and Machaya, and some Israeli folk dancers.

Thanks to Rabbi David Shneyer for his vision and energy in sparking this biennial festival, and for Esther Siegel and  Maura Gost for their help to me in fulfilling my work.