The photographic work of Micha Bar-Am parallels his own life story.

As a young boy he immigrated to Israel, became involved in the pre-State underground, participated in Israel’s 1948 War of Independence, founded with his friends a Kibbutz on the Lebanese border and as a result of his restlessness and curiosity became a Photographic Correspondent for the very popular Defense Forces magazine.

Admittedly, Israel is a small country, but Bar Am is known to everyone there. He also knows everybody, as well as every stone of the land, and the spirit of the Bible is in his soul. Bar Am has experienced the spiritual joys and a hard realities of the holy land. Some of those captured moments are in these portfolio. The images are direct and vibrant, all are celebrations of a man who lives his live to the hilt.

My knowledge and appreciation of Bar Am’s life of and war is first-hand: I shared the last 15 years with him, on many occasions in peace and in war. I feel privileged in having been introduced to him in 1967 and that I was introduced to Israel with him as my companion. To a certain extent, this portfolio extends this privilege to you.

Cornell Capa