Shalom Moscovitz (Shalom of Safed) was originally an Israeli watchmaker who lived in the hills of Galilee. Safed, his home, was the birthplace of Jewish mysticism and kabbalah. As a member of the Hasidic sect, Shalom was aligned with these traditions.
Late in his life he became established as a renowned naif painter whose imagery was based on his religion as well as his daily life in the Safed region. Twelve museums have hosted solo exhibitions for the artist's work. Two of these are The Jewish Museum in New York and the Israel Museum in Jerusalem. The Museum of Modern Art in New York and the National Museum of Modern Art in Paris have exhibited Shalom of Safed's paintings, lithographs and tapestries.