Special Envoy to the Christian World Visits MOTJ, Outlines Vision for Strong Ties With the Christian World
The Museum of Tolerance Jerusalem (MOTJ) recently hosted Israel’s newly appointed Special Envoy to the Christian World, George Deek, for an official visit that highlighted both the Museum’s role as a civic meeting ground and Deek’s emerging vision for deepening Israel’s engagement with Christian communities worldwide.
Deek is a veteran diplomat with nearly two decades of experience in the foreign service, including his tenure as Israel’s ambassador to Azerbaijan. His visit marked an early step in what he described as a mission to strengthen relationships between Israel and Christian communities through shared experience, dialogue, and cultural exchange.
From the outset, Deek emphasized the emotional and educational impact of the Museum experience, saying, “This is my first time at the Museum of Tolerance Jerusalem. I’ve been astounded by the beauty of it, by the thought behind it, but more importantly by the values and the emotions that it brings. I think this is a must-visit for every person who comes to Israel, who comes to Jerusalem.”
As he settles into his new position, he described a vision in which Israel’s relationships with Christian communities are built on shared experience, mutual understanding, and sustained engagement.
He outlined a multi-layered approach to strengthening ties, grounded in three pillars: access to holy sites and lived religious experience, recognition of Israel’s growing and unique Christian community, and the creation of spaces for dialogue on global humanitarian and interfaith challenges.
He added that Israel’s Christian community itself offers a powerful example of coexistence in the region, “There is a thriving Christian community inside Israel, which is very unique. We live in a region where Christian communities are shrinking, persecuted and disappearing. And this country presents a model where the Christian population in this country has grown by 400% in 70 years.”
For MOTJ, the visit underscored its positioning as more than an exhibition space, but as an active platform for engagement between Israel and global communities. Deek’s vision points toward potential collaborations that could transform the Museum into a focal point for Christian engagement, intercultural conferences, and dialogue initiatives addressing shared challenges across the Middle East and beyond.
Within that framework, Deek positioned the Museum as a potential hub for both international visitors and domestic dialogue. He described it as a space capable of hosting Christian pilgrims, convening conferences, and bringing together diverse communities within Israeli society.
“I think there is a lot we can do here, whether it is bringing visitors… [where we can] turn this place into a conference area where we can meet and have debates and talks and go deeply into the relevant topics,” he said.
His discussion with senior MOTJ staff on Monday also touched on broader global responsibilities, including the protection of persecuted minorities and the use of dialogue and technology to build bridges across communities.
“This country is sitting right in the heart of everything important that is happening today in our world. This Museum sits in the heart of Israel and Jerusalem. It is a fantastic meeting place so that we can bring all these things together.”
