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Local News | An Unconventional Tradition Arab Christian Israeli diplomat George Deek to address Beth Am By Melissa Gerr

IN WHAT HAS BECOME A HIGHLY diplomat and his particular take on

anticipated afternoon of learning, Israel and Zionism, and I’m also Provided lively exchange and contemplation intrigued by his life story.” open to congregants and the commu- And Deek’s story is a fascinating nity, Beth Am Synagogue’s Yom one, especially at the young age of 31. Kippur afternoon programming this Currently on a year leave from the year features Arab Christian Israeli diplomatic corps, Deek is a Fulbright diplomat George Deek, who will Scholar at . Also share his unique take on current a lawyer, he was deputy ambassador events in the Middle East; annual for three years in Nigeria and then in favorite Rheda Becker with her pow- , where his last year was spent erful Martyrology presentation; and as acting ambassador during the time an open forum in which “you get the of last summer’s Operation Protective rabbi up there when his blood sugar Edge. He was there for the first Israeli is lowest and pepper him with questions presidential visit to Norway and about anything Jewish,” said Beth had the honor to share a table with Am’s Rabbi Daniel Cotzin Burg. former President Shimon Peres and Burg, who joined Beth Am in King Harald V and Prince Haakon of 2010, described the forum topics as Norway. Deek’s family, who fled to “anything goes” as long as it’s Jewish Lebanon during the 1948 war but content. He typically fields questions soon after returned, has lived in that range from political to religious for more than 400 years. to personal views, he said. For such a resume, his demeanor For related multimedia The forum tradition harkens “back is easy going, but his passion for content click here. to Dr. Louis L. Kaplan, our founding shedding light on and generating spiritual leader,” explained Burg, who inspiration for change in the Middle George Deek will speak at Beth Am Congregation on Yom Kippur, and he is also “very eager to learn” about Americans’ and Jewish Americans’ perception looks forward to it each year. “It’s just East is palpable. He will address this of Middle East events. a chance for people to talk to me, and I passion at Beth Am. try to make it as conversational as I can.” “For me to have the opportunity to Burg invited Deek as a special guest; speak on that day … a day to cleanse issues we are suffering from, and how But his desire for the afternoon is he learned about Deek through a yourself toward God and preparing can we take it forward? also to listen and learn. Being new to recent magazine profile that featured your soul for the next year … is a real “I believe Israel specifically has a the United States, he’s “very eager to a video lauded as “the best speech an honor and unique opportunity,” special role in that process to reach a learn” about Americans’ and Jewish Israeli diplomat ever held.” The Deek said. new reality,” Deek answered, “where Americans’ perception of Middle speech came from Deek’s tenure in “Coming from a region of the minorities and people of different East events, especially in Baltimore, a Oslo, Norway. Middle East that is torn into pieces backgrounds, ethnicities and religions city that has seen violence based on “He is this young dynamic by wars and intolerance and waves of can actually continue to live in that discrimination and racial background, thoughtful Israeli diplomat who was immigrants [fleeing] and communities region that they’ve called home for he said. “I’m really looking forward doing the hard work of representing being eradicated and exiled … how so long.” to hearing the Baltimore experience,” the State of Israel in Oslo, and, in can we have our own Yom Kippur? Deek will also address the rise of with hopes of applying it to his work addition, the fact that he is an Arab “What is necessary for our region religious extremism and “one of the in Israel. Christian, I found to be intriguing,” to do in order to cleanse itself from biggest challenges we’re facing today, Also part of the afternoon is said Burg. “Mostly I’m interested in its current sins and to find a new and that is the rise of a possible professional narrator and founding hearing a highly regarded Israeli path? What are the weaknesses or the nuclear Iran.” Beth Am congregant Rheda Becker’s

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Martryology presentation. She is of the presentation. “legendary in Baltimore” said Burg. Becker lauds Beth Am’s congrega- Her presentations have become a tion for being diverse in every way congregational favorite, with Burg and a community that encourages calling them “moving, haunting and deep thinking about difficult issues. spectacular.” It’s important to “bear witness to Martryology stems from the part what happened and to those who of the Yom Kippur service that tells were murdered simply because they the story of 10 Talmudic sages mur- were ,” she said. “That’s why we dered by Romans, but Becker’s take is do this; it’s not about being unhappy contemporary. or listening to horrors. It’s the least

“Coming from a region of the CORPORATE EVENTS • TEAM BUILDING Middle East that is torn into pieces by OFFICE GATHERINGS • HOLIDAY PARTIES BIRTHDAY PARTIES • MITZVAHS wars and intolerance and waves of SPORTS TEAM EVENTS AND MORE! immigrants [fleeing] and communities being eradicated and exiled … how can we have our own Yom Kippur?” — George Deek, Israeli diplomat

In past years, her stories and personal we can do is to hear the stories of OUR WORKFORCE accounts of martyrs have drawn from their suffering.” periods such as the Spanish Inquisition, She added, “This is something we STRENGTHENS the Stalin regime and the Holocaust. do only on that day. It’s not printed “This year is a very unusual one, it’s or published — I speak it that day, THE DIVERSITY OF YOURS Samuel Pisar, who recently died” and and together we bear witness as a www.thearcbaltimore.org/workforce who was a Holocaust survivor, said congregation. I think of it as one of Becker, who has also performed as the greatest privileges in my adult life, narrator for the Baltimore Symphony to learn about the history of these Orchestra for more that 40 years. people.” JT “Pisar was a renowned international lawyer and I knew about him because he wrote a text for the ‘Kaddish,” by Leonard Bernstein. Beth Am Synagogue The stories are intentionally Yom Kippur Event “about specific people and what hap- 2501 Eutaw Place pened to them, not generalizations,” Wednesday. Sept. 23, said Becker, who researches her sub- 2 p.m. jects in great depth, usually for months in advance. “[Pisar’s] story is Free and open to the public one of such incredible self-recovery For more information, and accomplishment, even though call 410-523-2446 he was only 10 when the Nazis came. I’m going to read some of the text from his ‘Kaddish,’” as part [email protected] For people with intellectual and developmental disabilities

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