George Kiraz, renowned for his contributions to Syriac studies, speaks of his Bethlehem childhood that shaped the person he is today. His memories offer an intimate look at myriad aspects of Syriac life in Palestine in the 1970s and ’80s: religious identity, brushes with ancient history, conflicts with the Israeli occupation, fraught custodianship of Christian holy places, and his father's role in the legendary discovery of the Dead Sea Scrolls.
The talk will offer an illuminating account to people with a range of interests, such as the modern Syriac heritage and diaspora, the Sayfo genocide, Palestinian history, religious pluralism, and minority communities in the U.S.