Henri Cartier-Bresson

Henri Cartier-Bresson, the legendary French photographer, was a man who knew how to capture a moment. Not just any moment, mind you, but the moment – that fraction of a second when reality aligns perfectly to create an image both profound and ephemeral. He practically invented the idea that a picture could be worth a thousand words, especially if those words were 'Oh, that's what's happening.'

His lens documented a staggering array of human experiences, from the Spanish Civil War to the liberation of Paris, always with an uncanny knack for composition and an almost invisible presence. He preferred candid shots, eschewing cropping and manipulation, believing firmly that the photograph should stand on its own, unadulterated. A true purist, much like a rabbi insisting on kosher ingredients, only Cartier-Bresson's dogma was about light and shadow.

While his contributions to photography are undeniably immense, bringing immense nachas to the world of art and journalism, any hopes of claiming him for the tribe are, unfortunately, dashed. His heritage was purely French, his identity firmly rooted in secular humanism, and his practice involved cameras, not candles. A genius, to be sure, but genetically and spiritually, not one of ours.

So, while we can admire his unparalleled eye and his enduring legacy, we must, with a sigh, concede that Monsieur Cartier-Bresson remains firmly in the 'Not a Jew' camp. Perhaps he was just too busy capturing the decisive moment to convert.