Beril Berk on Building Bridges through Dialogue, Art, and Empathy
Beril Berk, Executive Director of the Dialogue Institute of Dallas, joins George Mason to explore how intentional relationship-building—across faiths, cultures, and communities—creates lasting impact. In this conversation, she reflects on the power of sitting at shared tables, the rich meaning of Ramadan, and the role of art and youth leadership in cultivating empathy. From feeding neighbors at shelters to launching a youth group called “Salam Shalom,” Berk’s work is rooted in the values of the Hizmet movement: education, service, and mutual understanding.
A lawyer by training, Beril Berk also practices immigration law and brings her personal journey as a Turkish immigrant to her work in both legal and community spaces.
Watch the video, here.
George Mason (00:00):
Welcome to Good God, conversations that matter about faith and Public Life. I'm your host, George Mason, and I'm delighted to welcome to the program today, Beril Berk. Beril is the Executive Director of the Dialogue Institute of Dallas Beril, we're glad to have you here.
Beril Berk (00:15):
Very happy to be here. Thank you for hosting me here.
George Mason (00:19):
Well, Beril, I have had a wonderful relationship with the Dialogue Institute for many years now when I was the pastor of Wilshire Baptist Church. Uh, but even, uh, through Faith Commons, uh, my interfaith organization, uh, we've continued to have relationship and I think, uh, people would love to know more about the Dialogue Institute of Dallas. . So tell us what you do in the Dialogue Institute.
Beril Berk (00:44):
Yes, of course. First, first of all, I'd like to say that we are so grateful for your support, for your partnership and for the support and our, uh, partnership with all our community partners, local organizations. . The local institute. Dallas is a local nonprofit organization located in Richardson, but serving, uh, the greater DFW area. Our, we have volunteers members, uh, other than our community partners. Uh, as a background, we are mostly from Turkey, but not necessarily, we have members, volunteers from other countries too. Uh, and our members are practicing Muslims. . And we have our local members, great people like you on our advisory boards . And at the Dialogue Institute, we focus on interfaith dialogue and intercultural dialogue, and we organize programs for bringing people together from diverse backgrounds because when you sit at a table, talk to each other, if you have prejudices, you can overcome those kind of prejudices.
Beril Berk (01:48):
Yes. Most of the time we see people, uh, even becoming close friends. So I think those kind of events help for a, um, lasting, uh, long time peace. It's also about peace building. Yeah. But it's not just about that, uh, serving to the community is also part of our faith. So we have subcommittees, like our Serve Together committee. Uh, they adopted a shelter and they cook and serve food every first Wednesday of each month. And because Ramadan is also a charity month, month for us, um, we are trying to do those kind of services, especially during Ramadan. Yes. And other than Ramadan, we also organize food drives, blood drives, uh, clothing drives. Yes. These kind of services too.
George Mason (02:41):
Wonderful. Well, when you say services, I think, uh, our listening audience would be very interested to know how this is part of a larger movement. . That is rooted in service. It's called the Hizmet Movement, H-I-Z-M-E-T. And, uh, Hizmet means service, right?
Beril Berk (03:05):
Yes, that's correct. Hizmet movement originated, uh, in Turkey in the late 20th century, inspired by, uh, Fethullah Gülen who passed away here, uh, recently in October, 2024. It's also known as Gülen Movement too, and it's a grassroots activity, which first started as educational volunteerism and about serving to the community and interfaith dialogue. When it emerged back in Turkey in late 20th century, the society was very divided politically. And there was a turbulence in Turkey, especially among youth groups, among college students, even though, uh, when you look at, at their college students. Uh, so that's why, uh, Hizmet movement more focuses on ethical values, uh, building a strong and good character, and also being best at whatever you are doing. They go all together. Yes.
George Mason (04:12):
Well, and I've had the opportunity to know you for, um, many years, your organization. Mm. Uh, not necessarily you personally, but for the last few years, uh, you personally. And, uh, it's been a beautiful, uh, relationship, uh, a way for me to be able to see into, uh, your Muslim community and how you understand your faith and its engagement in society. . I think many people in the US don't understand the diversity that exists in Islam. . And this is, uh, traditional, uh, Islam . But it's a movement within that interprets your faith Right. In a way that focuses on these values that you're talking about.
Beril Berk (05:04):
Yes, exactly. The movement is, uh, based on Islamic principles . And among those principles, uh, being compassionate, being well educated . Values, like these are important for us, and we focus on these values, uh, because actually when we look at Prophet Muhammad's life, peace be upon him. We can see that he also interacted with many different communities and especially, uh, coming together around food, around the table. . That's a great way to connect with people. And we are so thankful for your friendship, for your partnership, for your support.
George Mason (05:45):
Well, you're very welcome. It's always been a delight. Uh, now, uh, we are in Ramadan now. . And this is a time of fasting during daylight hours Yes. And spiritual reflection. So, uh, tell everyone a little more . About the practice of Ramadan and how you interact with the community during Ramadan.
Beril Berk (06:08):
Of course. Uh, as you know, Ramadan is the ninth month of Islamic calendar, and it is a special place, uh, because we believe that Holy Koran was revealed to prophet Mohammed, peace be upon him, during that time. . So, uh, it's a practice where we fast from down to dusk. We abstain from food and drinking, including drinking water, but also from some kind of physical activities. And it's also about spiritual reflection. Uh, it's about self-discipline, uh, especially during that time. We are trying to get closer to God by reciting Cru more. Uh, there are long night prayers done only during Ramadan, uh, at normal times. A believer should also be careful about not backbiting, not talking behind people, uh, not getting angry easily, but during Ramadan, those, uh, values gain more importance. . And the aim is to continue this situation after Ramadan too. And Ramadan is also a community time where we come together with different members of community during Ramadan.
Beril Berk (07:27):
Uh, we invite our friends, our relatives, our further families to come together to sit around the table, break our bread together, invite people in need to our tables or serve them, uh, during Ramadan. Uh, that's why during Ramadan, we at the Dialog Institute organize those interfaith dinners every year. And we are very thankful and grateful that our interfaith partners are also willing to sit with us at the same table and learn more about Ramadan. Uh, almost every day, uh, we co-host hosts our Ramadan dinner at a different worship place. Yes. And we are also making a Ramadan presentation. One of our members tells about Ramadan from their experience. This year in total, we have 26 Ramadan in Interfaith Ramadan dinners. Wow. Yes. Yes. So four of them are at our place. We had the first one yesterday. It was a community if tar dinner. Usually, uh, city officials, our local friends attend together with our members . And we are having one next week hopefully. And we are going to have a youth if tar dinner for organized for high school and college students so that they can come together with their peers around the table. And we are going to have a Daughters of Abraham Ramadan dinner. Other than that, uh, we have Ramadan dinners with different churches. Two synagogues, one temple will be hosting us two, and we had one with Dallas Police Department this year. Oh, good. And we had one with Richardson Methodist Medical Center . This year too.
George Mason (09:15):
Great.
Beril Berk (09:16):
` we are excited about that. They're going well right now.
George Mason (09:19):
Okay. So I think it's, um, important to talk a little bit about the interfaith aspect. . Of these, uh, Ramadan Iftar dinners and your movement as well that values interfaith dialogue. Our organization that this good God, uh, podcast is part of, is called Faith Commons. Yes. And it's an interfaith organization . As well. And it always has struck me that one of the most important gifts of these interfaith relationships is what the theologian Christ, uh, al called holy envy . That we, we, when we learn about other religions . And see their practices and hear them talk about them, it gives us a reflection on our own faith. We learn even not just about your faith . Than another person's faith, but we learn more about our own faith. Correct. And I know for instance, that in the rhythm of the Christian calendar, there are seasons of fasting before feasting . Just as in your tradition now, most Christians in the West have not really focused on the fasting . And feasting rhythm as much. But that's part of our tradition, uh, for spiritual, uh, growth as well. I'm curious, Beril, what have you learned through your interfaith relationships? .
Beril Berk (10:56):
Uh, through my interfaith relationships, I learned that there are a lot of similarities among the practices we are doing. Like (garbled) Lent, which is very similar to what we are trying to do during Ramadan. Yes. Uh, we hosted a group of high school students from Christian belief last week. Okay. And they told me that they are going to practice land, and we had a chance to talk a lot about what land means for them. Yes. And when we were talking, uh, similar to what I say about Ramadan, I'm saying, uh, it's the time where we aim to get closer to God, Uhhuh. So actually during land, they're also aiming, uh, they have the same goal, getting closer to the gut. So when you sit people around the table, you can see there are a lot of similarities. Like when I said 40 days, that, that strike Me too. Because, um, 40 is an important number at our religious practice too. Yes. So there are a lot of similarities. Wonderful.
George Mason (11:59):
Wonderful. Now, um, I know that some of these practices are rooted in the rhythm of the Islamic calendar . But you also are engaged in sponsoring things in the community. I had the privilege of attending, uh, just last week. . A, uh, an art contest . Awards program . That you sponsor in the schools. Tell us more about that.
Beril Berk (12:26):
Yes, exactly. Since last year, we have a signature event, uh, an annual art contest for high school students and college students all around DFW. And both last year and this year, we had really good amount of submissions from all around DFW. And last year's topic was the art of Living together. And this year's topic was empathy, walking in another shoes. . And categories are, um, drawing, painting, graphic design is one category, and photography and videography is another category. And at the award ceremony, it was great to see the happiness on those students' faces, because we recognize them on stage. Everyone can see their artwork, we display their artwork. It's also, uh, a chance, an opportunity to come together with people from diverse backgrounds. Uh, sometimes you don't meet everyone at the church or at a worship place, but you can reach out to other people too, and you can get to know each other better. Um, and actually after last year's award ceremony, we had a winner. She was among top 10, and totally by coincidence, both Muslim student. And she driven a picture and, uh, created an artwork very similar to each other. Both of them, uh, drew, a Muslim woman, a Jewish woman, woman, they were crying and they both wished peace. That was very interesting. And actually then she reached out to us, she's been an inspiration. And we started a youth group, uh, at the Dialogue Institute. Salam Shalom Youth Group,
George Mason (14:11):
Salam Shalom. Yes. Yes. So Salam would be the word for peace. Yes. In Arabic. Arabic in Shalom Peace in Hebrew. Yes.
Beril Berk (14:17):
Yes. And they knew nothing about each other's culture or religion. Yes. Like, uh, Muslim students from the Dialogue Institute, they even did not know what a rabbi meant. And, uh, other students, Jewish students, they did not know what a Imam meant. Yes. And they made presentations during six weeks, um, about religion, about their culture, about their practices. And every week we included an activity, like a water bl activity, community service activity, social activity, and they continue to see each other. They are still seeing each other. Wonderful. So that was a great initiative, uh, started thanks to the art contest. Right after the art contest.
George Mason (15:00):
Well, the, the theme of empathy this year was beautifully depicted in the artwork and is so thank you. Important right now, I think in our country, and certainly worldwide, as the whole idea of empathy would be, uh, compassion. And that is to, to try to understand someone else from their point of view, from their experience. Exactly. And to honor it. Exactly. Right. Which of course, uh, in the conflicts that we're seeing around the world and even in our own country, if we could learn to do that and not simply impose our view on someone else, but listen and learn, uh, it would be a, a tremendous, uh, help. Now, I know that, uh, I know that in Turkey . Um, there has been a, a, a disappointing to you and your community, a disappointing development in the country, where in, in many ways, uh, the, uh, current president Erdogan has wanted to create more of a homogeneous culture. . An interpretation of Islam, of traditional culture and ethics. . That, uh, limit people's diverse expression. . And how have you experienced recent times in the US with a similar movement that feels like it's taking place? Is it, does this sort of feel similar in some way as we are struggling politically with diversity today?
Beril Berk (16:38):
What I like here is people, uh, raising their voices when there's an injustice, they're standing up and they're coming together. But yes, it's concerning whether or not there is going to a polarization. I hope, uh, there will be no polarization here. Actually, I had a friend last year, I invited her to my home for an, for a Ramadan dinner for an Iftar, and she told me that, uh, no, not not last year, the previous year. That was, uh, yeah, she told me that she was working for an organization which is trying to prevent polarization. Yeah. So that means that this is happening or just started to happen. And that's really sad. . I hope that never happens because, um, there is a beautiful system here. . Um, and, uh, people like me, there are a lot of people like me who came here, uh, flee from persecution in their country. Right. Thanks to that system. . Uh, I hope we do not replace this with, uh, something worse. Right. Um,
George Mason (17:48):
Me too.
Beril Berk (17:49):
Yes, yes. Yeah. There are good people. Yeah. Uh, working to prevent polarization, yes. That's concerning. But I'm hoping that we will not allow this.
George Mason (17:58):
So you mentioned that you left Turkey and came here due to persecution. . And part of that is what I just mentioned . About the, um, the, the suspicions of, and accusations against the Hizmet movement and, and whatnot, uh, from the current government there. But when you came here, you came as a lawyer. Uh, yes. In Turkey. Exactly. Yeah. And I know that it took you three and a half years . But you passed the bar . And you are a practicing lawyer now. . Doing immigration law. Yes. . Which of course is part of your own story. . And now immigration is becoming ever more difficult. . Here in this country. . Uh, tell us how your faith, uh, works in your law practice and with immigration. What, uh, how, how does all of that connect for you?
Beril Berk (18:53):
Uh, okay.
Beril Berk (18:56):
This is a difficult question, actually. Yes. I, I came here, uh, I had a, I was a corporate lawyer back in Turkey, but I was also doing litigation. I had intense litigation experience, and I had a really good work. Uh, and I had to leave my job and came here and passed the bar exam, and I'm so thankful and grateful for that. . Um, so that affects my work positively in the sense of understanding the procedures and going through the procedures, because I went through the same procedures. Right. So when someone comes to me, I know what he or she's going through or, uh, about the whole process. Okay. Uh, in that sense, when we were talking about empathy, I think I can, uh, practice empathy more than any other lawyer, more than many other lawyers in that sense, because, uh, I had the, um, same thing. And, uh, so I'm trying to help, uh, people like me because I was there, I was in their shoes. . So that helps me, and I think that helps them too. Good.
George Mason (20:16):
So, Beril, um, what are the biggest challenges that you feel like your community faces here in the US these days?
Beril Berk (20:27):
Um,
Beril Berk (20:29):
I mean, we are trying to be, uh, we are trying to do our best to serve the community, which we are in either through volunteer, volunteering, we also support our community. We need to support young generations. . We give, uh, scholarships, our umbrella organization, Rainbow Foundation. . Uh, they give scholarships to people who are in need, because as I said, education is very important. . Uh, we want our youth to be educated people, uh, going to good schools. Um, so the challenge would be, uh, trying to integrate without being assimilated, and it's possible to do that in the us It's different than other countries. Uh, people like learning about different cultures and, uh, towards the respect . Uh, towards other cultures. But, uh, I think the challenge would be both trying to educate our kids, raise our kids well, and, um, putting a balance in between the activities we are trying to do, uh, for the greater community. Yes.
George Mason (21:42):
well, I, I think there's a lot of testimony that people have who are immigrants. . Of the difference between those who are first generation immigrants . And second generation immigrants. Right. So exactly. The, the way, uh, your children are experiencing things are probably different from the way you have, and getting them to be able to maintain connection to their own history and culture, and yet to be, um, comfortable enough in engaging in . As Americans now. Yes. Exactly. Uh, what are the challenges you feel like you have there?
Beril Berk (22:26):
Uh, here, keeping the balance in between those two things are important. . Uh, because of course we, we want them to be part of the community to integrate to the community, but we also don't want them to lose their identity, um, their own principles as regards to religion. Yes. Their beliefs. Um, keeping that balance is difficult. And I have two boys. Yes. Uh, one came here when he was eight years old. He still speaks Turkish very well. He can read, he can still read, uh, but probably he's not gonna be able to read in Turkish in future. . And the younger one, he came here when he was one and a half year old, and he's native in, uh, English. He says he's an American <laugh>. Yes. So, right, right. So that I have two different, uh, I can see the difference, uh, between, um, two different children.
George Mason (23:24):
Very good. Now, Beril, um, I think a lot of people would be surprised that, uh, a woman is leading a Muslim community. . Uh, again, this represents the diversity in Islam. Right,
Beril Berk (23:37):
Exactly.
George Mason (23:38):
Uh, but can you talk about, uh, the place of gender and, uh . In, in, uh, the, Hizmet movement and in your understanding of Islam .
Beril Berk (23:49):
Yes. Actually, Hizmet movement wants women to be well educated and successful too. . Uh, and in Islam, women can, uh, own their own business, operate their own business. Like, uh, the wife of Profit Mohammed . Uh, had a business at that time, and she was very successful. Um, during, I have an anecdote about that. During Ramadan, we are making presentations at the places where, where we go. And so we want different people to present. Sometimes it's men among from our community, sometimes women. I was talking to one of the places who is going to host us at the, towards the end of Ramadan, and last year a man made a presentation there this year, it's a man again. And when we were talking about the details, they asked me, oh, it's a man again, <laugh>. So I said, I'm the boss here. I chose him to present <laugh>. Yeah.
George Mason (24:48):
Very good. Yes. Yeah. But it's not necessary. It could be, it could be either way. Ye
Beril Berk (24:54):
Yes. Yes. A lot of of my friends, uh, who are women are also presenting to them. Right. Yes. Right.
George Mason (25:00):
Very good. Well, I, I think that this is something that even in our Christian tradition, we have difference of opinion about. Right. Uh, what is the role of men and women in the community . And, uh, in some cases, uh, Christians have a very much more male-centric, uh, patriarchal leadership. Uh, understanding and in other, uh, expressions of Christianity, mine, for instance, it's very equal. . Uh, and, uh, we think women, uh, should, uh, be able to express and exercise their, uh, gifts and wisdom . In the community just equally to men. . So, uh, I'm glad that we had the opportunity to be able to educate some people about that, because I think many people view, uh, Islam globally as . Being, uh, limiting of women's experience, and that's not entirely true. Right.
Beril Berk (25:54):
Yes. I, I think that's a misunderstanding. And, uh, we need to come together, uh, to overcome those kind of misunderstandings. . Because why? What I observe is yes, as you said, uh, similar to Christianity, there is a diversity in Islam, there are different practices . Uh, similar to how it can change in Christianity. It can change from one society to another, one person to another. . Uh, but yes, in the basics, a woman can lead a, um, . Lead a foundation, lead a group of people. That's possible. Wonderful.
George Mason (26:32):
Well, Beril, it's a wonderful opportunity to talk with you and to celebrate your community. I want to recommend to people that they go to your website . Which is, uh, the Dialogue Institute of Dallas again. And, uh, they can find that easily online. Uh, and, uh, it's part of this larger hizmet movement under the rubric of the, the R ainbow Foundation, uh, right. This is one of the organizations there. And so, uh, we look forward to continuing to have a relationship and times to come. And thank you for all that you contribute to our community and to our interfaith, uh, relationships.
Beril Berk (27:10):
Of course. Thank you so much for, uh, hosting me here. Uh, exactly. They can go to our website, which is dialog dallas.org. Yes. And it's under the, uh, rainbow Foundation of Dallas. Uh, so happy to be here. Thank you for hosting me. Thank you.