Name/Title
Maher Salama- The Dawn and the MoonDescription
“God bless America, the land that I love” says this 86-year-old Egyptian, who came to the U.S. in 1970. Maher studied English in high school and graduated in business management from the American University, where his father was a professor. Before coming to the U.S., he worked in an accounting company, and was an avid swimmer and member of the Greek rowing club.
With a kind smile, his gentle blue eyes light up when he describes the months of dancing and dining that led to marrying his wife of 55 years, Therese. Maher found a job (and a passion for chess) at Bank of America two days after his arrival here, where he worked until his early retirement. He still feels most “accomplished” when helping the needy. The couple has a son and daughter and three grandchildren.
A lover of classical music, especially the work of Chopin and Tchaikovsky, Maher enjoyed playing the piano. “As I love music, I love paint,” he says now, after his introduction at Reutlinger to making art. And despite vision and shoulder problems, he revels in learning “how to paint beauty and how to expose it to other people—especially so the blind can see.”
