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In the hours before the president spoke, attendees chatted excitedly, until a Jewish a cappella group from the University of Maryland, Rak Shalom, began performing on the bema.

Its fall was followed by that of the eastern half of the great dome itself; and in the ruin perished the altar, the tabernacle, and the whole bema, with its costly furniture and appurtenances.

When Demosthenes ended and came down from the bema, the Assembly drew a long breath, and instantly each man fell to discussing with his neighbor what was best to be decided.

Twice I went to the bema and spoke to those priests and that mangy rabble.

Plutarch’s statement that the Thirty Tyrants removed the bema so as to face the land instead of the sea is probably due to a misunderstanding.