Arriving in the Holy Land / BYU Jerusalem Center

We arrived on 9/1/10.   Our 9 bags (+ 2 boxes mailed) were more than we had for any prior trip, but this was an 18-month move!  All 78 students also arrived, on 6 different flights.  We accompanied the largest group (20), via NYC on Delta.  With us came cool weather.  Aug. 2010 was the hottest ever: > 105 degrees in Jerusalem, 120 at the Dead Sea.

Israel was almost a 1st-world country, as shown by its modern airport in Tel Aviv.  Most everything in the U.S. was also available here, but often at much higher prices.   A shekel was then worth about 28 cents.

We were met at Ben Gurion Airport by Dr. Frank Judd, a faculty member who came to the BYU Center in 1992 as a student.  He returned with wife Jill & 5 daughters.  Dr. Kerry & Julianne Muhlestein brought 6 children.  Jeff Chadwick (wife Kim) & Kent Jackson (Nancy) rounded out our 2010 BYU faculty. 

This was our first glimpse of the Old City.  We traveled one hour from sea level to 2,700 feet in elevation.   As the scriptures say, all routes go "up to Jerusalem."  All bldgs were of yellow Jerusalem limestone quarried nearby -- giving them a golden glow in the morning sun.

After winter rains, the green belt beneath the JC is truly green. It is called the Zurim Valley Nat'l Park, created by Mayor Teddy Kollek -- JC's main political supporter. This landscaped park extends to the Hinnom Valley--upgrading its prior use as a Roman garbage dump & possibly child sacrifice in Biblical times. ("Hinnom" is another term for hell or hades.)

At first Mayor Kollek resisted the JC, as this was to be within the green belt.  Now the JC enhances it.  Nothing has ever been built on this site! 

Signs pointed the way to our private street and to our front gate.

This is the front entry garden -- in the Spring & Autumn.

The BYU Jerusalem Center for Near Eastern Studies  (or "JC") was opened in 1987 & dedicated in 1989, as a foreign study center for Brigham Young University -- one of the largest private universities in the U.S.    We loved being there for 18 months. 

Our JC is situated in East Jerusalem on five acres high atop Mt. Scopus.  The Romans & Babylonians both used this as a lookout to "scope out"  how best to attack the city.  The JC's 8 levels went down the hill, rather than above it.  

It adjoins the Zurim Valley Park (below), Augusta Victoria's grounds (above) & the Catholic Apostolic Delegation.  That governs Vatican's relations with Israel & Palestinian Territories.  Pope Benedict XVI stayed there in March '09 while some of his entourage stayed at our JC.

From our 8th level eastern windows, we saw this caring nun in white come from the Catholic facility every day. She brought food scraps to dozens of wild neighborhood cats. No wonder so many cats could stay alive here!

Our front entry was graced with grass, flowers & Jerusalem pines.  The principal JC architects were David Reznik & Frank Ferguson.

Every west-facing window had panoramic views of the entire area. On the Temple Mt, the gilded Dome of the Rock (oldest & 3rd holiest Islamic site) lined up with the tall Christian Dormition Abbey (top) & the white-domed Hurva synagogue (newly rebuilt, on the rt).

There were expansive views of Jerusalem from JC's upper level.  Mt. Scopus is just north of the Mount of Olives -- highest point in Jerusalem.

JC had magnificent gardens & award-winning architecture, both inside and out. Its many arches & two domes honor Jerusalem's ancient heritage.  They also reminded us of our own Newport Beach Temple architecture.

 Students from 3 BYU campuses (in Utah, Idaho & Hawaii) came for one semester (3-1/2  months) to study the Bible, Hebrew & Arahic languages, and both Ancient & Modern Near Eastern History.   Four senior couples like us served here for 18 months.  Up to 4 BYU faculty members came with their families for one year.   Local guest faculty + about 50 staff & support personnel were Israeli & Palestinian residents.

Our furnished, 3-room apt. was more spacious than our tiny 1-room dorm (plus bathroom) in Sofia, Bulgaria, where we taught law school in 2008.

Our bedroom had a small double bed -- replaced by two singles for the Schafers in Feb. '12.  (We should have done that earlier.)  Our closet was quite ample.

Only we resided on Level 2.  But the laundry room brought students there.

It also served as one of two mandatory JC bomb shelters.

Best of all:  Views of Jerusalem & Mount of Olives from our own balcony.

David Reznik, JC's local architect, wanted all "to see Jerusalem thru flowers," inspired by the hanging gardens of Babylon. Beyond the profuse rose bushes, and rising from the Kidron Valley, spreads the fabled Old City & newer city construction across the entire panoramic ridgeline. 

It is breath-taking each day & also at nightime, with its glowing & sparkling lights.  All 8 levels have blooming terrace gardens.

The 1st view we had thru our own bedroom window included gardens & a slight view of Jerusalem beyond, again as seen  "thru flowers" & trees and the beauties of nature.

They cut down these bushes in July '11, giving us more flowers and view.  By late summer (10/5/11), pomegranate trees made great smoothies.  Their fruit is holy because (no matter its size) each has 613 seeds --  the same # as the 613 orthodox Jewish commandments. 

In each of 7 patios on our level, large trees reach up to the sky.  But on 11/15/11, as we approached our apt. for lunch, our trees looked like this!

Our 2nd level trees had big roots, penetrating the level below.  So workmen climbed this metal scaffold to remove all limbs -- then the tree trunks. 

With chain saws, they cut the limbs into small pieces for removal.

On 12/1/11, gardeners dug out the roots of our nearest tree.  That was one deep hole  -- and very hard work!

Finally, large trees were replaced by small ones. Those too will grow -- but perhaps they will have less intrusive roots.

Each morning I see the rising sun's golden reflections on Old City windows.  

At night, our same west-facing windows revealed similar views.

  We each have our own 8th floor offices.  Marilyn was YW Pres. & co-Director of Hosting but mostly did humanitarian work -- almost 24/7 on her computer.  My Church position was District Clerk.  [See Sept. '11 post, Church Service]

One disadvantage of being on the 2nd of 8 levels was 130 stairs to the top floor.  So we often took the elevator from the 6th to 8th level.

Stairs were a hidden blessing -- increasing stamina & cardio-vascular functions.   That was a small price to pay (plus $440/mo.) for living there.

Under the JC.  A long-awaited adventure was touring the underside of the JC.  Our hosting video says:  "The JC rests on 400 pylons driven into the bedrock."  Thus, some may think that it "floats" in the air without touching the ground.  So on Tues. 9/13/11, we went underground to find out for ourselves.  Entry was through a locked door next to the 6th floor elevator.

All donned hard hats to prevent head wounds.  Eran Hayet (JC Exec. Dir., above) led Thomas Kelley & our group down the JC hillside to Level 1. 

Eran explained the extensive pipes, wires & other systems serving the JC.  Many were low-hanging, requiring much stooping & bending.

These are a few of the 400 pylons (reinforced concrete) supporting the JC.   Most areas were well-lighted.  Most ground was cement-covered.

We exited  on Level 6 where we began -- but on the opposite side, through a door in the Green Room (where JC concert artists wait).

This adventure was worth the wait.

The Mor Co.  Far more accessible are large spaces for JC electronic & mechanical equipment, painting gear, storage, etc.   Also, the Mor Co. that built the JC has its main offices here.

 They are inside the curved parking driveway wall.  We had no idea!