Birth: NULL/NULL/1925 Death:NULL/NULL/2007
Born in Nazareth in Feb. 1925; received his secondary education in Nazareth; co-founded (with his brother) a private school in Nazareth, working there until Sept. 1948, when he joined Israel Radio in Tel Aviv as a broadcaster; also taught in a school in Jaffa from 1948-51; took some media training courses at the Hebrew University in 1951; became famous for his coverage of Christian and Muslim weekly religious sermons at the request of Melkite Bishop Maximos V (George) Hakim in 1951; moved to Jerusalem when the radio was relocated there in 1952; became editor, producer and program director of religious programs in the Israeli Radio Arabic section; started one of the first radio quiz shows in the Arab world (known as ‘Star of the Month’) in the 1960s; was invited to the Vatican in 1966 to meet with Pope Jean Paul II who blessed him for his good relations with the Christian churches; was the first in the Arab World to initiate Ramada n contests on the knowledge of the Qur’an, starting in March 1967 at Al-Jazzar Mosque in Acre (with the assistance of an Islamic jury); gained additional popularity for his daily religious reflections (Al-Maghreb prayer) during Ramadan after 1967; was in charge of the broadcasting of different religious events incl. the visit of Pope Paul VI in 1964, Sadat’s visit to Al-Aqsa Mosque in 1977, and Pope Jean Paul II’s visit in 2000; in 1968, was among the first Arab broadcasters on Israeli TV after its establishment and participated in the first training course conducted for TV staff in Herzliya by American instructors; created, edited, and presented a TV program teaching social manners and ethical behavior, for which he gained a prize from the Knesset; was appointed special advisor to the Dir.-Gen. of the Israeli Broadcasting Authority (IBA) in 2002; currently editor-in-chief with special status in charge of covering religious ceremonies in Arabic programs on Israeli TV and Radio; received several honors incl. medals by the Vatican, Christian churches and the Waqf in Jordan.
