Economic development, public awareness and education are among the goals of a new government body for Marylanders of Middle Eastern ancestry.

The Governor's Commission on Middle Eastern American Affairs, established by an October executive order, will be similar to already existing state commissions on Hispanic and Asian Pacific American affairs, according to Izzy Patoka, who is executive director of the governors office of community initiatives and also will staff the commission.

"The governor wants to have a commission that reflects the demographic and diverse makeup of the state," said Patoka.

The commission will have 21 members, but Patoka said only three people have officially been appointed so far: Anwer Hasan, who will serve as chair and is president of the Maryland Muslim Council; Miriam Galston, a George Washington University law professor, who has a doctoral degree specializing in Islamic philosophy; and Yonathan Zohar, an Israeli who directs the Center for Marine Biotechnology at the University of Maryland.

Patoka said he had been soliciting recommendations for the commission from, among others, leaders of the Jewish Community Relations Council of Greater Washington and the Baltimore Jewish Council. He hopes to have the body filled in the next few weeks. An initial meeting would likely be held next month, and, according to the executive order, the group will meet at least six times a year.

The term "Middle Eastern American" is not a common one, but Patoka said it best described the community that the commission which defines the Middle East as running from Pakistan to Egypt will target.

Acknowledging more Jews in the state trace their roots to Europe than to the Middle East, Patoka said the body was designed to include not just Marylanders of specifically Middle Eastern descent, but also those who have a particular interest in the area.

A vetting process to ensure a diverse geographic and ethnic representation is being used to select commission members. Asked about concerns that some Middle Eastern Americans may have controversial backgrounds, Patoka said, "We all think about peace in the Middle East" when deciding who should serve.

Stressing that that the body "is not a religious commission," Patoka emphasized that economic development would be a focus. He cited the Maryland/Israel Development Center, the 16-year-old organization promoting trade and investment between the state and Israeli companies, as a model for what the commission could accomplish in connecting the state with business opportunities in the Middle East.

The commission's first task will be to "define ... the demographics" of Middle Eastern Americans in Maryland and the issues that the communities face. Combating stereotypes and educating the community about Middle Eastern Americans will also be a focus.

Already-named commission members said they couldn't yet provide many details about what the commission would work on, but were excited to be a part of it.

Chair Hasan, a resident of Clarksville, suggested that the commission might examine immigration-related issues, among other matters.

"The governor has really taken a positive step, a bold step in forming this commission" and is "using it for the right purpose," said Hasan, an engineer. "We know the challenges" and "we have to be creative" in dealing with them, he said, adding that the commission will help to build a "more cohesive and strong Maryland."

Galston of Bethesda, who is Jewish, has also been a part of a JCRC of Greater Washington-sponsored Muslim-Jewish dialogue for the past four years. She sees the commission as a "fabulous opportunity" to understand more about Islam and one another, and hopes that her experience on the commission could enhance those local dialogue efforts as well.

Patoka staffed a similar commission in Baltimore when Gov. Martin O'Malley (D) was mayor. Baltimore Jewish Council executive director Art Abramson said that body was "very successful" and led to "superb relationships" between the Jewish and Muslim communities in the city.

JCRC executive director Ron Halber said that he is "a big believer in these types of groups" because they open lines of communication and "provide an opportunity to deal with issues" before a crisis might arise.

"Relationships defuse difficult situations and enhance positive ones," he said. "We're always in pursuit of doing more and more."