George Kiraz

George Anton Kiraz (; born 1965) is a Syriac scholar, best known for his contribution to modern Syriac studies.

Early life George Kiraz was born in Bethlehem to a Syriac Orthodox merchant family which traces its roots back to Elazığ in Anatolia. He learned Syriac at the Monastery of Saint Mark, Jerusalem. In 1983 he emigrated with his family to the United States where they settled in Los Angeles.

He has been involved in Syriac-related projects, such as the co-founding of Gorgias Press, a publishing house dedicated to Syriac studies and other subjects in the humanities, and directing the Beth Mardutho Syriac Institute, Between 2000 and 2001, he was instrumental in opening an office for Nuance Communications on Wall Street, New York. His research interests include finite-state technology, computational morphology and phonology, and Syriac studies.

Ordinations Kiraz is a deacon in the Syriac Orthodox Church. He was consecrated and anointed a reader (Syriac Qoruyo) in Bethlehem on February 6, 1977, by the laying on of the hands of Mor Dioscoros Luqa Sha'ya, then Metropolitan of Jerusalem. He was ordained a sub-deacon by the late Mor Julius Yeshu Çiçek at St. Mark's Monastery on January 9, 1983. He was ordained a full deacon (Syriac: ewangeloyo) in Teaneck, New Jersey, by Mor Cyril Aphrem Karim (now Moran Mor Ignatius Aphrem II) on October 14, 2012.

He has served in the following churches: St. Mary, Bethlehem (ca. 1973–1983) St. Mark's Monastery, Jerusalem, and the Holy Sites (ca. 1979–1983) St. Ephrem, Los Angeles (1983–1990, 1996) St. Jacob Burd‛ono, London (1991–1996, sporadically) St. Mark's Cathedral, formerly Teaneck, New Jersey, currently Paramus, New Jersey (1996–) St. John bar Aphtonia, Cranbury, New Jersey (2003–2022)

Personal life He is married to Christine Kiraz. They live with their three children in Piscataway, New Jersey.