Abigail van Buren

(July 4, 1918, Sioux City, Iowa-June 22, 2002, Chicago, Illinois). Advice columnist, 1956-2002. Born Pauline Esther Friedman. Twin sister of Esther Pauline Friedman Lederer, who also published an advice column under the "Dear Ann Landers" lead. Both sisters were immensely popular in the press and had an intense and sometimes bitter rivalry.

Sir John Robert Vane

(March 29, 1927, Tardebigg, Worchestershire, England-November 19, 2004, Farnborough, Hampshire, England). British pharmacologist. Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine, 1982.

Mordechai Vanunu

(October 13, 1954, Marrakech, Morocco-Alive). Israeli nuclear technician convicted of treason for revealing Israel's nuclear weapons program to the British, 1986. Converted to Christianity, c. 1986, and took baptismal name of John Crossman. Abducted by Mossad in Rome and taken to Israel, where he spent 18 years in prison (including 11 years in solitary confinement). Released, 2004. He remains a controversial figure, with some viewing him as a "prisoner of conscience," while others condemn him for his actions.

Herzl Vardi (aka Naftali Harzl Rosenblum)

(1903, Kovno, Lithuania-1991). Israeli politician and lawyer. Made Aliyah, 1935. Revisionist leader. Member, Provisional Council of State of Israel. Signer of the Israeli Declaration of Independence, 1948.

Harold Elliot Varmus

(December 18, 1939, Freeport, New York-Alive). Research scientist. Director, National Institutes of Health, 1993-2000. Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine, 1989. Received National Medal of Science, 2001.

Abe Vigoda

(February 24, 1921, New York, New York-Alive). Actor. Born Abraham Charles Vigoda. Noted for roles in The Godfather and as Detective Sergeant Fish on the television series Barney Miller.

Avshalom Vilan

(February 11, 1951, Israel-Alive). Meretz-Yachad Party Member, Knesset of Israel, 1999-Current. Founder, Peace Now movement. Known as "Abu."

Havel's House of History

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Matan Vilnai

(May 20, 1944, Jerusalem, Palestine-Alive). Israeli soldier and politician. Major General, Israel Defense Forces. Labor Party Member of the Knesset of Israel, 1999-Current. Minister of Science, Culture and Sport of Israel, 1999-2002. Minister in the Prime Minister's Office, 2005. Minister of Science and Technology of Israel, 2005.

Roman Vishniac

(August 19, 1897, Pavlovsk, Russia-January 22, 1990). Russian-American photographer and biologist, best known for capturing on film the culture of Jews in Central and Eastern Europe before the Holocaust.

Diane von Furstenberg

(December 31, 1945, Brussels, Belgium-Alive). Fashion designer. Born Diane Simone Michelle Halfin. Former wife of Prince Egon of Furstenberg (Divorced). Married Barry Diller, 2001. Naturalized U.S. citizen, 2002.