His father gave him a guitar for his bar mitzvah when he was 13, and he has been Elvis ever since.

"At school I was a very lousy pupil, so to learn English I'd listen to Elvis songs and get out the dictionary," says Tovi, a 44-year-old Tel Aviv native who now bills himself as "The Israeli Elvis."

"It is the wonder of Elvis that in our small country I've been able to survive as Elvis," he says.

Tovi has released a cassette of 21 Elvis hits and manages a modest living working weddings, bar mitzvahs, charity events, TV appearances and live concerts, including a regular gig with the army. When his compulsory reserve duty rolls around -- one month a year -- he travels throughout Israel, the West Bank and into southern Lebanon to perform for Israeli troops.

His favorite story is how an audience of female soldiers tore his clothes and grabbed his hair in a mock frenzy following one of his performances.

"I am the synagogue, and Elvis fans come here to worship," Tovi declares.