Mayor of Ashkelon, Israel visits Baltimore!

Tonight I was invited to a dinner reception honoring the Mayor of Ashkelon, who is currently visiting Baltimore from Israel to continue growing the already strong partnership between the two cities. 

It was a nice gathering that brought me right back to my time in Israel and has me thinking of my friends from Ashkelon. Benny seemed to have a warm and calming personality, which made it easy to get some cheerful portraits like this one. He also happened to choose the seat right next to me, so I enjoyed listening to his Hebrew chatter over salmon and hummus. 

This dinner also reminded of my “camera as an extension of me” philosophy. It’s funny how people you haven’t seen in awhile recognize you simply because you’ve got your camera over your shoulder.