About the BIG GIVEAWAY

I just got back from a short trip I took to our capitol, Washington DC. I am sitting here with all the submissions and just overwhelmed by it all. I knew I would get personal stories that are worthy and deserving but I didn't know how hard it would be for me to choose. I friend suggested that I have a few people help me choose and I realize that that's the most practical thing to do. Therefore I will be postponing the announcement of the winner until next Monday, January 5th.

Thanks for understanding!

What is it about GIRLS and their HATS????

I think until the hair grows in we have to work with something (but that doesn't apply here, see her mohawk in the last photo). Little Tzvi came for his upshern photos and brought his adorable sister along. You can see how tender he is with her.

The V Family

I'm good friends with their Mom and it was a great pleasure to meet the troops. Here is a teaser.

Another cute one...

They just keep rolling in... I'm so lucky!
We started out in the studio but Leah wasn't loving it there, so we took her to the window for natural light photos and she was much happier.

Too cute to keep to myself

Sara brought her "I'm too cute' hat

Moishe's acts like a BIG BOY

The BIG Giveaway

I want to give a gift to someone YOU know...

...someone you know that could really use custom portraits but wouldn't or couldn't do it on their own. Is it your son's teacher who goes above and beyond, a neighbor that is depressed and overwhelmed, a friend that just adopted a child, a person you know that is always there for everyone else and it's time they got a break? I need to know!

The winner will receive a FREE photo session and prints, I mean the whole deal - a consultation to help determine what they could use depending on wall spaces and rooms up to $2,000.

Oh, and the best part? The person who nominates the winner receives a $500 certificate for portraits.

The rules:
To enter you must send me the story by email: dini@dinistudio.com by December 28.
You cannot nominate yourself.
The winner will be announced the last night of Chanuka, December 29th (The winner's name will be withheld for privacy reasons but the nominee will be announced).

Peek-A-BOOOO

Shmuly had so much fun and so did I. If there is one thing I know about 1.5 yr olds it's that you can plan all you like - however, they are the boss, so I don't fight it, I just go along for the ride. Thanks Shmuly for the awesome ride!!!

High Five - Five Alive!

This family of 5 is ADORABLE. The only way to get little C to give up her bottle was to play high 5 which we did a lot.

A Tribute To Gavriel and Rivky Holzberg - Mumbai, India

Since Thursday I have been walking around with a heavy heart. At first I was hoping for the best, then grateful to see little Moishe come out of the hell that the terrorist have created and finally just numb to realize that this young couple have perished senselessly.

I received this email, in memory of Gavriel and Rivky Holzberg and felt the need to share it. I mostly deal with happy occasions, celebrations and wonderful memories in my photography. Photographs are what remain as proof of those special times. Hillary never thought that these images would be used under these circumstances.

This tribute was written by Hillary Lewin who spent the summer in India doing research.

Moishe Holzberg
Rivky Holzberg, Moishe Holzberg with Hillary Lewin

Many of you first heard of the Holtzberg family three days ago when news of the Mumbai hostage situation emerged. I feel compelled to write this letter, because I want the world to know who Rivky and Gabi Holtzberg were in life and to tell you what I witnessed of their accomplishments in their brief 28 years on earth. While I am devastated by their death, I am thankful that my life and so many others were touched by their purity, friendship and spirit.

Before I entered the Chabad house in Mumbai, I thought, "What kind of people would leave a comfortable and secure life in a religious community to live in the middle of Mumbai; a dirty, difficult, crowded city?" As I got to know Rivky and Gabi over the course of this past summer, I understood that G-d creates some truly special people willing to devote their lives to bettering the world.

I was first welcomed by Rivky, who had a big smile on her face and her baby Moishie in her arms. She ushered me and my fellow travelers into the Chabad house and immediately offered us something to eat and a sofa to rest on. We quickly became good friends. We bonded with the Holtzberg family and the staff at Chabad, including Sandra, the heroine who saved baby Moishie's life.

Like his parents, Moishe is a sweet, loving, happy baby. He was so attached to Rivky and Gabi. He got so excited to sing Shabbat Z'mirot (songs) every Friday night with his father, and I could tell by the light on Gabi's face when they were singing together, that he looked forward to it too. It breaks my heart that I can still hear Moishie's voice calling, "Ima, Ima, Ima", and she will no longer be able to hold him or rock him in her arms.

On my second Shabbat at Chabad, Rivky told me there were two Israeli men staying at the house who were just released from an Indian prison. When I saw these men sitting at the dinner table, I was startled. One man had only a front tooth and a raggedy pony tail, and the other looked like an Israeli version of Rambo. I observed the way that Gabi interacted with them and how they were welcomed at the Shabbat table the same way everyone else was, and my fears melted away. Over the course of the night, I learned that these men were not the only prisoners or ex-convicts the Holtzberg's helped. Gabi frequently brought Kosher meals to Israelis in prison, spent time with them, listened to their life stories, and took them in after their release.

I realized that Gabi and Rivky's job was not only to run a Chabad house and provide warm meals and beds for weary Jewish travelers, it was much greater. The Holtzberg's were running a remarkable operation. They took their jobs as shlichim (emissaries) very seriously. Their lives never stopped. There was no such thing as "personal space" or "downtime". The phones rang constantly, people came in and out like a subway station, and all the while Rivky and Gabi were calm, smiling, warm, and welcomed everyone like family.

Rivky spent each day cooking dinner with the chefs for 20-40 people, while Gabi made sure to provide meat for everyone by going to the local markets and schechting (koshering) chickens himself. They also provided travelers with computers for internet access, so that they wouldn't have to pay for internet cafes. They even took care of our laundry. Having spent much time abroad, it was clear to me that Rivky and Gabi were unusual tzadikim (righteous people).

On my last Shabbat in India, I slept in Rivky and Gabi's home, the 5th floor of the Chabad house. I noticed that their apartment was dilapidated and bare. They had only a sofa, a bookshelf, a bedroom for Moishie, and a bedroom to sleep in. The paint peeled from the walls, and there were hardly any decorations. Yet, the guest quarters on the two floors below were decorated exquisitely, with American-style beds, expansive bathrooms, air conditioning (a luxury in India) and marble floors. We called these rooms our "healing rooms" because life was so difficult in Mumbai during the week. We knew that when we came to Chabad, Rivky and Gabi would take care of us just like our parents, and their openness and kindness would rejuvenate us for the week to come.

The juxtaposition of their home to the guest rooms was just another example of what selfless, humble people Rivky and Gabi were. They were more concerned about the comfort of their guests than their own.

The Holtzberg's Shabbat table was a new experience each week. Backpackers, businessmen, diplomats and diamond dealers gathered together to connect with their heritage in an otherwise unfamiliar city. We always knew we were in for a surprise where an amazing story would be told, either by Gabi or a guest at the table. For each meal, Gabi prepared about seven different divrei torah (words of torah) to share. Though most of them were delivered in Hebrew (and I caught about 25%), his wisdom, knowledge and ability to inspire amazed me. Rivky and Gabi were accepting of everyone who walked through their doors, and they had no hidden agendas. Rivky once told me that there was one holiday where they had no guests. It was just herself, Gabi and Moishie. I expected her to say how relieved she was not to have guests, but she told me it was, in fact, the only lonely holiday they ever spent in India.

I remember asking Gabi if he was afraid of potential terror threats. Although his demeanor was so sweet and gentle, Gabi was also very strong-minded and determined. He told me simply and sharply that if the terrorists were to come, "be my guest, because I'm not leaving this place." Both he and Rivky believed that their mission in Mumbai was far greater than any potential terror threats.

Everything Rivky and Gabi did came from their dedication, love and commitment to the Jewish people and to G-d. I cannot portray in words how remarkable this couple was. If there is anything practical that I can suggest in order to elevate their souls, please try to light candles this Friday night for Shabbat, improve relationships with family members and friends, try to connect to others the way that Rivky and Gabi did- with love, acceptance and open arms. There is so much to learn from them. May their names and influence live on, and inspire us in acts of kindness and love.

Presenting: Faigy

Just one week before she was born I took family photos (see Sept '08, Splish, splash) . Now that she is here, Faigy was NOT going to be left out of the family album.