26

The Jerusalem Center for Near Eastern Studies

After the State of Israel was created in 1948, efforts to determine whether the Church owned or leased property in Israel proved inconclusive. Latter-day Saints living within the borders of the newly created state had either moved away or become inactive. For the next two decades, Church membership in Israel consisted of only a few semipermanent expatriates, traveling businessmen, diplomats, tourists, and students.

The Swiss-Austrian Mission administered Church affairs in most lands in Europe and the Near East where there was no other official organization of the Church. In 1969, the mission president, M. Elmer Christensen, authorized the few members living in Israel to form an official group of the Church. It was typical for the few Saints living in Israel to congregate at a designated member's home by Friday afternoon before the Israeli bus system shut down for the Sabbath. Church services were held the following day, Saturday, because most members had professional or academic obligations on Sunday, a normal workday in Israel. After sundown Saturday, when the buses started running again, the Saints went their separate ways, spiritually rejuvenated for another week. The Sabbath observances were based in a member's home, but the meetings themselves were often held at sacred sites associated with the Gospel Doctrine lesson for that week, which for years was taken from Jesus the Christ, by Elder James E. Talmage.

The number of members in Israel waxed and waned over the years. By 1971, Church services centered more in Jerusalem where, with an average attendance of thirty to forty semipermanent members, including children, they took on more formality. 1 Priesthood and auxiliary meetings were held. The numbers attending sabbath services were bolstered by the many tourists to the Holy Land, including several general authorities. The members looked forward to such visits, always hopeful that the next visit might signal greater Church involvement in the land. At each visit, the Brethren patiently explained that "the time was not yet," suggesting that such a decision had been made in the highest councils of the Church.

Brigham Young University travel study programs became a yearly feature, significantly increasing the number of Latter-day Saints in Israel. The members enjoyed holding church services with faculty members and students at their hotels, but their course of study often took the BYU participants out of Jerusalem, leaving the church auxiliary programs with no place to meet. This situation led to the lease of a facility in East Jerusalem that could accommodate everyone and help Church members who were not students be less dependent on the university program. This meeting place became known as Mormon House.

President Harold B. Lee's Visit to the Holy Land

In September 1972, President Harold B. Lee visited Israel, accompanied by Elder Gordon B. Hinckley and President Edwin Q. Cannon of the Switzerland Mission. This was the first visit by the earthly leader of the Church in nearly two millennia. He formally organized the resident group of Saints into the first Jerusalem branch of the Church, possibly the first since the days of Peter. President Lee took other steps that had far-reaching implications for the Church in the land of Israel. Branch leaders asked President Lee for permission to hold regular church services on Saturday, the Jewish Sabbath, instead of Sunday. President Lee asked that a formal request be addressed to the First Presidency. A couple of months later the request was officially authorized. 2 At the same time, the Church authorized the translation of the Book of Mormon and various tracts into Hebrew. 3 This action was in keeping with a statement President Lee repeated several times during his visit that the Church had entered a preparatory period in its relationship to the Jews.

While he was in Jerusalem, in keeping with protocol, President Lee met with Israel's chief rabbis. The matter of proselyting was raised in the course of a cordial discussion. The rabbis expressed their hope that President Lee's visit did not signal the Church's intention to begin missionary work in Israel. President Lee, knowing the strong antiproselyting stance of most Israelis, religious or otherwise, responded that the Church does not come into a country through the back door, but through the front door, invited.

Also during his visit, President Lee suggested to local Church leaders that they search for a parcel of land on the Mount of Olives on which a memorial could be built to commemorate the visit of Orson Hyde to Jerusalem in 1841. Although the proposal did not originate with President Lee, his suggestion began the seven-year endeavor that culminated in 1979 in a five-acre memorial in Orson Hyde's name in the middle of the Mount of Olives. The park, developed on the steep slopes of the Mount, has pleasant walks that lead down through the park and out to Gethsemane and a small amphitheater set back into the hill, with a beautiful panoramic view over Jerusalem. Within the amphitheater was set a large bronze plaque containing portions of the text of Orson Hyde's dedicatory prayer. 4 The park is not owned by the Church; it simply honors the name of Orson Hyde and recognizes his efforts to bless the city. The Orson Hyde Foundation was established to raise one million dollars for the beautification of the city.

President Lee authorized local Church leaders to search for land on which a church building could be constructed. That was unusual, because the number of members living in Israel at the time, mostly expatriates, did not warrant such an edifice, according to the Church building criteria of the time. President Lee, with the mantle of a prophet, foresaw the need for a building in Jerusalem that far exceeded the expectations of the Saints.

President Lee's visit to Jerusalem is a landmark in Church history there. Most developments related to the Church in the Holy Land have their foundation in his visit.

The Church in Israel, 1972-1980

The Brigham Young University travel study program in Jerusalem grew rapidly. The students were an asset to the branch, and the resident Saints enjoyed meeting with them, but their academic schedule often took them out of Jerusalem for weeks at a time. This situation eventually led to the creation of two branches in Jerusalem: a student branch and a regular branch.

In 1975, the Church in the Holy Land was put under the jurisdiction of the International Mission, headquartered in Salt Lake City, which had been organized to see to the spiritual needs of members of the Church not covered by missions. The number of expatriate Church members going to live in Israel continued to grow. Their influence was felt not only in Jerusalem but also in Tel Aviv and in the Galilee, where small branches of the Church were created in 1976.

In 1977, in an important step toward creating a permanent presence in the Holy Land, the Church was officially recognized by the state of Israel as a legal entity with the right, among other things, to "acquire, retain and dispose of real and personal property" and to "carry, through peaceful means, the Church's message throughout Israel, sharing its ideals with all interested people." 5 ~In the same year the Israel District was organized. It was responsible for two branches in Jerusalem and branches in Tel Aviv, Haifa, and Tiberias. The district functioned as if it were a stake, but it answered to the International Mission in Salt Lake City.

A distinguishing characteristic of the Church in Israel was the rapid turnover of members. The students came and went within a few months, but even the semipermanent members averaged only one or two years. Apart from the BYU students, Church members were typically professionals representing many different international, commercial interests or were attached to a country's diplomatic service. A few professionals came to Israel on humanitarian programs; others worked on postgraduate degrees at one of Israel's institutions of higher learning. Among all these transitory expatriates were a few pioneers who had moved to Israel to make it their home. They became the real backbone of the Church in Israel, giving continuity to branch programs and helping to establish a permanent presence of the Church in the land.

Many general authorities visited the Holy Land over the years. Often their schedules allowed them to attend regular church services with the Saints; when that was not possible, special firesides were arranged midweek so Church members could hear from them. The members felt isolated from the rest of the Church, so these visits were especially welcome.

In 1979, President Spencer W. Kimball, accompanied by five other general authorities, arrived in Israel to dedicate the Orson Hyde Memorial Garden. The service conducted on the slopes of the Mount of Olives was attended by more than two thousand Church members (mostly visitors), as well as Israeli government officials, Mayor Teddy Kollek and other municipal officials, Arab community leaders and dignitaries, and leaders of the various Christian denominations. During this visit President Kimball announced Church plans to build a center in Jerusalem that would have a chapel to accommodate local branches as well as visiting Church members and facilities to house the Jerusalem BYU Travel Study program. Under the direction of the First Presidency, Brigham Young University would take the lead in the project.

Brigham Young University in the Lands of the Bible

Brigham Young University has sponsored travel study programs in the Holy Land since 1968, when a group of students went to Israel under the direction of Robert C. Taylor, chair of the BYU Department of Travel Study, and Daniel H. Ludlow, a member of the BYU religion faculty. The group studied in Israel for only a few months, but the success of that first venture laid the foundation for study-abroad programs in Israel that far exceeded everyone's expectations. Interest in the program soon required two programs a year, which coincided with the fall and winter semesters at BYU. As the popularity of the programs grew, spring and summer programs were added, along with special interest programs designed for older couples and singles.

The travel study program in Jerusalem was developed to offer courses in the Old and New Testament and ancient and modern Near Eastern history and more specialized classes in the archaeology, geography, and cultures of the Near East, including Hebrew and Arabic languages. The program serves students who are Church members with a variety of educational backgrounds as it promotes understanding of other peoples, cultures, and religious faiths that trace their roots to the Holy Land. Public lectures, conferences, symposia, and concerts are available to Jerusalem residents and visitors alike. 6

Physical Facilities in Jerusalem

Growing participation in the travel study program required ever larger facilities. Because hotels were not adequate for the classroom, library, and study room requirements of an academic program, a search was made for more appropriate facilities. That search led to Kibbutz Ramat Rahel on the southern edge of the city. Its modest, youth-hostel-like living quarters were modified to provide additional classroom and library space. Here the study program settled down for seven years while the search for land continued. In the course of time, Church leaders and Brigham Young University leaders decided to build a facility that would meet the present and future requirements of both Church and academic program. The Center would include a chapel, a visitors center, and a classroom and dormitory complex for the study-abroad program.

The Formative Years

The development of the Jerusalem Center was a First Presidency project 7 that included Brigham Young University. The logic of the joint building effort was obvious: first, it satisfied the requirements of the BYU-sponsored educational programs operating in the Holy Land, which were becoming increasingly attractive to Latter-day Saint students and tourists alike; and second, it met the ecclesiastical imperatives of the Church, which included a physical presence of the Church in the Holy Land after an absence of nearly two thousand years. Additionally, there was the significance of Jerusalem in Church theology and the necessity of a place of worship for Saints residing or visiting in Israel.

Local Church members were pleased with the prospect of a visitors center as part of the Jerusalem Center complex. They hoped that a visitors center could serve as a base for passive, and therefore acceptable, missionary work in a land where Christian proselyting was anathema to the greater part of the population. The well-known missionary reputation of the Church, together with uninformed statements by a few about the so-called real reasons for the proposed building in Israel, fed the fears of opponents, and the proposal for a visitors center was not approved. This combination of concerns resulted in an often bitter, four-year campaign by Jewish nationalists and the more religious elements of Israeli society to end the project.

The visit to Jerusalem in 1979 by President Spencer W. Kimball eliminated all the proposed sites except the one on the northern end of the Mount of Olives, also called Mount Scopus. Hindsight makes it apparent that the other sites, which had been so painstakingly considered, were not in keeping with what the Lord had in mind. First, many miracles occurred, readily acknowledged by member and nonmember alike, that eventually led to the Church's obtaining the most prominent and prestigious building site in all Jerusalem on the Mount of Olives. Second, there have been incredible attempts on the part of the adversary to obstruct, frustrate, and thwart the whole undertaking.

Preparations Are Begun

Between 1980 and 1984, tedious and lengthy negotiations took place for the land and the building permits. The First Presidency had appointed Elder Howard W. Hunter, Elder James E. Faust, and BYU president Jeffrey R. Holland as an executive committee responsible for overseeing the development of the Jerusalem Center. They were assisted by BYU administrators Fred A. Schwendiman, vice president of support services; Robert C. Taylor, chair of the department of travel study; and David B. Galbraith, resident director in Jerusalem. Robert J. Smith, BYU vice president of finance, and Wayne Nelson, Church budget officer, were added to the committee later. Robert P. Thorn was called by the Brethren in 1980 to assist in negotiating with the Israeli government, the Lands Authority, and Jerusalem municipal officials in obtaining the land. Joseph Kokia, an Israeli lawyer, Fuad Shehade, an Arab Palestinian lawyer, and the Israeli architectural firm of David Reznick and Associates were retained to assist in the process. 8 The contributions of each of the many participants in the Jerusalem project, named or unnamed, member or nonmember, were so extraordinary that it became apparent that they had been raised up by the Lord for this singular task.

There was a great deal of support for a so-called "Mormon Center" in Jerusalem among Israelis, but nowhere was more support forthcoming than from Mayor Teddy Kollek. The mayor had had positive experiences in his past contacts with Church leaders, and the million-dollar contribution to the city of Jerusalem from the Orson Hyde Foundation for the beautification of the city had cemented this relationship. Mayor Kollek and other municipal leaders were convinced that the Church was a genuine friend of the City and the Jewish people. The mayor took a personal interest and a leading role in finding a suitable location to build a center. Once the opposition started, he took a forceful, influential, and very public position in support of the Center, for which he was severely maligned by fellow Jews who questioned the permanent establishment of a Christian institution in the heart of the Jewish capital. Mayor Kollek never wavered in his support, and on at least one occasion, in the heat of the opposition, he expressed concern that the Church and university might withdraw from the project. He stood firm for a pluralistic society with tolerance for all religious faiths, with the proviso that they be sensitive to the opposition felt by most Jews towards Christian proselyting among the Jewish people.

Resident leaders of the BYU study program in Jerusalem imbued the academic offerings with a spiritual quality that changed lives. The years of dedicated service by those resident leaders and by the religion instructors who joined them had a positive influence on the youth who came to learn. In the final analysis, it was the success of the Jerusalem study program, through the combined efforts of administrators, faculty, and students, that served as a catalyst in the decision to build a center in Jerusalem.

The Negotiating Stage, 1980-1984

Although Church leaders had selected their first choice of a site in 1979 from among several attractive alternatives, most of 1980 was taken up with intense negotiations to persuade the Israeli authorities to lease that particular piece of real estate. 9 Once an agreement in principle had been reached, the next three years (1981 to 1984) were involved with efforts to have the land in question rezoned for public use and the complicated and time-consuming process of obtaining the required building permits, determining lease and construction costs, defining and refining the architectural plans for the multifaceted center, satisfying the zoning laws, officially announcing and publicizing the project, testing the soil, retaining a construction manager, and putting the construction project out to bid.

In August 1984, construction began. As large, earth-moving machines started to tear into the hillside, this "Mormon project" came under visible public scrutiny. Although all the appropriate government and city officials had signed off on the project, and although every legal detail had been carefully scrutinized and attended to, a cry went up, primarily from the Jewish orthodox community, that an alien, non-Jewish, Christian proselyting sect had surreptitiously, if not illegally, obtained one of the finest building sites in all of Jerusalem.

Opposition to the Center, 1984-1988

In the first few months of 1985, the negative press about the presence of the Church and Brigham Young University in Jerusalem increased significantly. In most cases, the issues dealt with the missionary reputation of the Church and the fear that the Jerusalem Center represented a missionary headquarters to proselyte Jews. Allegations included the following:

The Mormon organization is one of the most dangerous, and in America they have already struck down many Jews. At the present the Mormons are cautious because of the tremendous opposition their missionary activities would engender, but the moment their new Center is completed, we won't be able to stop them. 10

What has the city actually done to evaluate the true intentions of such a notorious proselyting group establishing a branch in the Jewish capital? 11

How would the Mormons actually be controlled against missionary activities? What could we do once they have established themselves in Jerusalem? What would throwing them out do to our international "open-minded" image? 12

At the heart of the "emotional" and "bitter" controversy brewing in Jerusalem is whether Christian Zionism, based on Christian eschatological expectations, should function in Israel with the help and active aid of government and municipal authorities, such as the assistance being rendered to the Brigham Young University. 13

Zionism means that Jews were acquiring land from non-Jews, and now we find that Christians are building their institutions by acquiring land from Jews. What a reversal . . . and if we must give land to Christians, why must it be one of the most prestigious and beautiful locations overlooking the ancient Jewish holy city? 14

The Mormons seek international legitimization through the university center they are building in Israel so as to acquire for themselves a respectable status with the ultimate objective to proselyte Jews. They plan to operate under the camouflage of "education" and "culture." 15

According to internal publications of the Mormons, the university will become a world center for the spread of Mormon Christianity, or in other words, a vast missionary center that will dwarf all other churches and missions that are operating in the country. 16

The Mormons are conducting vast missionary work throughout the world. Are we to believe that in the Holy Land, which is central in their thinking, they will sit with their arms folded? 17

One member of the Knesset stated that he had evidence that "dirty" things have taken place in the Mormon acquisition of this land, and
"I mean dirty." 18 Other critics charged that Jerusalem Mayor Teddy Kollek's acquiescence to the plan was on account of the Mormons' contribution of one million dollars to the Jerusalem Foundation. 19

Early efforts to stop construction of the Center took the form of organized letter writing to Mayor Teddy Kollek, articles in the newspapers both in Israel and abroad, and lobbying in the Israeli Knesset. Mayor Kollek was unfairly singled out as the sole Israeli official who allowed a Christian proselyting faith to establish a permanent presence in Jerusalem. Thousands of letters were sent to him by those opposing the Center, urging him to stop its construction. In a typical response, Mayor Kollek wrote:

I am . . . disappointed that you should lend yourself to the influence of certain Jewish sectors who are motivated by a hysterical attitude as far as the threat of Christian missions in Jerusalem is concerned, and particularly that of Mormonism.

Firstly let me assure you that Christian missionary activity in Jerusalem is almost nonexistent. None of the churches engage in missionary work and the few isolated cases of "missionary talk" that occur from time to time are individual initiatives, mostly attempted by temporary residents or tourists who have no organization behind them and therefore, no possibility of followup.

The Mormon presence in Jerusalem is of 15 years duration. They bring students from Brigham Young University for courses which include the study of modern and ancient Israel. So do other Christian institutes who engage lecturers from the Hebrew University for this purpose, ie., the Jesuits' Priests' Seminary, the Evangelicals at the American Institute of Holy Land Studies and the German Benedictine Fathers of the Dormition Abbey.

There has not been one instance of Jewish conversion as a result of this academic activity. On the contrary, many Christian students who may have had a certain bias before coming here, have become good-will ambassadors of Jerusalem and Israel among their own communities abroad.

As to the Mormons themselves—their record in Jerusalem for 15 years shows no proselyting attempts. Their leaders, who come here frequently, have time and time again assured me that they do not intend to use the university for any missionary activities, and they understand that, after the tragedy of the holocaust no such activity is, or will be tolerated by Israelis in their own land.

Jerusalem prides itself on being a city with a pluralistic society where each community, creed or ethnic group can pursue its own way of life without hinderance. This can only be done if we continue to put tolerance at the head of our concerns and convictions. 20

Not all Jews were opposed to the Center. The mayor received considerable outside support for the public position he took. For example, Rudy Boschwitz, a United States senator from Minnesota and a Jew, wrote:

As you may know, Mormons are among Israel's most ardent supporters in this country. I must tell you I go to these [Mormon] Senators asking them for support for Israel and I find this whole matter embarrassing—indeed outrageous. If God had provided more Mormon neighbors for Israel, we would all be better off. I recognize Israelis—as we Americans—have rights of assembly and protest, but I sincerely request that you educate these Hasidim and others who protest. If my friends the Lubavitchers are involved, let me know and I will take it up with the Rebbe. Life is too short for Jews and Mormons to antagonize one another. 21

To address the misunderstanding that was building up because of the propaganda campaign undertaken by the opposition, Dr. David B. Galbraith, the resident director of the BYU study-abroad program in Jerusalem, released the following letter to the press:

After 17 years of a Mormon presence in Israel, elements within Israeli society are suddenly making this presence a major issue. Concern has been expressed that the Mormons will proselyte among the Jews in Israel once construction of the Brigham Young University's Jerusalem Center for Near Eastern Studies is completed.

Leaders of the Mormon faith have given assurances verbally and in writing to responsible authorities in Israel to the effect that there are no plans to carry out missionary work in Israel. The Mormon missionary program is not found in a country in the world where we do not have the authorization of the host government or in other words where we have not been invited through the "front door." Likewise in Israel without such authorization the Church would not engage in proselyting nor seek to send missionaries through the "back door" in the guise of university students.

Mormon leaders are very sensitive to the point raised in a letter a number of years ago by Mayor Kollek in which he stated that "at this point in our history having lost six million Jews in the holocaust it is inconceivable that the Jewish nation tolerate any religious missionary activity. . . . " We have voluntarily complied with both the letter and the spirit of that request.

It needs to be emphasized that the Center being built on Mt. Scopus in Jerusalem is a legitimate extension of the Brigham Young University, USA. We clearly distinguish between academic endeavors and missionary work. The student regulations of the Jerusalem Center prohibit proselyting activities of any kind.

As we proceed with the construction of the Jerusalem Center for Near Eastern Studies we will continue to bring hundreds of Mormon university students and thousands of tourists to Israel as we have been doing for years. These visitors return home as "ambassadors of goodwill" for Israel. Many Israeli friends in government, business and educational circles have encouraged us to continue these efforts. 22

Action by the Israeli Government

Despite efforts to counter the propaganda campaign, opposition to the Center gathered so much momentum that by December 1985 the government of Israel faced a vote of nonconfidence. The question was put to Prime Minister Shimon Peres: What will it be, the Mormons or another Israeli war? The belief was that only Peres' Labor government could move Israel towards peace and if the government should fall over the Mormon issue or if Mr. Peres were unable to persuade the religious parties into joining a narrow coalition because he sided with the Mormons, the party in opposition (the Likud party) would form the next government and return Israel to a war footing with its Arab neighbors. In short, the religious orthodox parties were essential to the survival of the coalition government; that, in turn, gave them a great deal of political leverage. In this instance, they threatened to topple the government if that government did not halt the construction of the Mormon center. 23

In December 1985, Prime Minister Peres responded by establishing a committee of four Cabinet ministers generally supportive of the Center and four Cabinet ministers opposed. The committee was to hold hearings and recommend for or against the continued construction of the Center. 24 This action effectively neutralized the religious parties' efforts to bring down the government. At about the same time, the Israeli Attorney General launched an investigation into the allegations of misconduct made by the opposition. Meanwhile, a subcommittee of the Israeli Knesset, the Interior Committee, had called upon the Center to give an official undertaking (promise) not to proselyte Jews.

Brigham Young University Gives a Legal Undertaking

Church and university leaders decided to comply with the demands of the Knesset subcommittee. It was not an easy decision because the request was clearly discriminatory. It singled out the Mormons from all other Christian denominations in Israel and, furthermore, it constituted a political call to renounce a basic tenet of all Christendom—to take the gospel to all the world. 25 Nevertheless, in August 1985, President Jeffrey R. Holland presented a formally signed document, which reads:

Brigham Young University, one of the largest private universities in the United States of America, is a fully accredited academic institution of higher education widely recognized and honored for the strength of its educational and research programs.

For many years the University has operated study abroad programs in a number of international locations including Jerusalem, London, Vienna, Madrid, Salzburg, Paris, and Hawaii. The programs are designed to give students and faculty the opportunity to learn of and appreciate the history and cultures of the people among whom they are established. They have not been designed nor used for proselytizing activities.

Since 1968 some 2,000 students have participated in our academic programs in Jerusalem. In addition, 13,000 BYU alumni and other adults in our continuing education programs have visited Israel for short-term travel study tours organized through this university department. These thousands who have participated, including many young men and women who will become future leaders of business, industry, and government, have come to understand and appreciate Israel and the peoples of the Near East in a manner not otherwise possible.

Because of the increasing popularity of these programs, and because the study of both ancient and modern civilizations in the region is so vital to the academic curriculum of Brigham Young University, better accommodations were required and an extension of the University was proposed. It has been in the planning stage for years, has received all legal approvals, and has been a matter of common knowledge. Nothing has been done secretly or covertly. This annex is an integral part of the university's academic offering and is not in any way a missionary center. During the seventeen years that this program has been operating in Israel, we know of no Jew who has been converted to Mormonism through the activities of the students or faculty in this program.

Now, out of an acute awareness of the public sensitivity surrounding the construction of this BYU annex and at the request of the Interior Committee of the Knesset, this undertaking is hereby given to reaffirm that the Jerusalem Center for Near Eastern Studies (hereinafter referred to as the Institution), an extension program of Brigham Young University (USA) is being constructed and will be used for the academic programs and other activities commonly associated with universities, including religious services, as provided in the following declaration and undertaking.

We Declare and Undertake:

1. In harmony with the law and consistent with our own past policy and practice, students, faculty, and staff connected with the Institution will not be permitted to engage in proselytizing activities in Israel.

2. To assist in enforcing this policy the Institution will continue, as it has in the past, to require all students, faculty, and staff involved in the study programs of the Institution to sign an undertaking not to engage in proselytizing activity in Israel. 26 Violators will be subject to dismissal from the program and returned home.

3. The academic programs of the Institution are especially designed for participants from the worldwide Latter-day Saint (Mormon) community coming through Brigham Young University (USA). As long as required by the Israel Council of Higher Education, students from Israel shall not be, in any way, enrolled by the Institution for academic coursework (i.e. classes for which university credit is available or any student program leading to a degree).

4. Some educational and cultural programs and exhibits may be open to the general public in keeping with a university's public role but will not be designed nor used for proselytizing. 27

This document had a calming effect on those who had yet to take a position for or against the Center but who were confused by the allegations that swirled through the media.

A Public Relations Offensive

Early in January 1986, BYU went on a public relations offensive. Too much was at stake, and millions of dollars had been committed to the project, yet opposition to the Center continued to build. An Israeli public relations firm, Gitam, was retained and a strategy devised to communicate to the public what the presence of the Center in Jerusalem was all about. The editors of the various English, Hebrew, and Arabic newspapers were contacted and given an explanation of the LDS position, appearances were made by Jerusalem Center personnel on local television talk shows, and full-page advertisements were purchased.

In May 1986, Israel's prime minister and all 120 members of the Knesset received a letter from 154 members of the United States Congress supporting the establishment of the Center. It was unusual that members of the United States Congress would in a sense appeal to fellow lawmakers of another country; it was also unusual that members of both parties signed the letter. The letter read:

Members of the Knesset

Dear Colleagues:

We have become increasingly concerned by reports here in the United States concerning certain groups in Israel who have undertaken a campaign to halt the construction and use of the Brigham Young University Center for Near Eastern Studies currently under construction in Jerusalem. We commend Israel for its admirable record of keeping Jerusalem open and we hope that this record will not be blemished in any way by this situation.

One of the main motivations for our longstanding support for Israel has been its commitment to democracy and plurality. Recent events in the region, and increased terrorist activities by numerous states, stand in sharp contrast to Israel's dedication to democratic ideals and respect for human life. Of course, an important facet of Israel's democracy has been its commitment to basic freedoms, including freedom of religion. These factors, as well as many others, have formed the basis for the long and healthy relationship we enjoy.

While we are aware of the sensitivity which many Jews feel regarding proselytizing, it is our understanding the officials of Brigham Young University have signed an undertaking in which it pledges that the Center will not be used for missionary activities. We also understand that it has been the longstanding policy of Brigham Young University that none of its students or faculty engage in proselytizing in Israel. We have been assured that this policy will continue. Many of us know the sponsoring organization and the reputation of its members, and they are known as a trustworthy and moral people who live up to their promises. We therefore believe this promise will be strictly abided by.

By allowing this center to be built and used as intended, Israel will be reaffirming its commitment to pluralism and to the special nature of Jerusalem. We believe that rather than hinder U.S.-Israeli ties, the BYU Center will be a further source of understanding and cooperation between our two countries. Those students who study there will be uniquely able to teach the rest of us about your society, your culture and your rich and fascinating history. We therefore request, gentlemen, that you do all that is necessary to see that this project is allowed to be completed and occupied without undue impediments or delays. 28

About the time this letter was sent, Israel's Attorney General's office issued a lengthy report of a nearly nine-month investigation. They found BYU and the LDS Church not guilty of all charges. The many spurious allegations devised by the opposition were answered in one official document, thereby making it unnecessary for BYU's public relations firm to dignify the charges by answering them directly.

In August 1986, the ministerial committee of eight recommended that the government allow the construction of the Center to continue. It did, however, call for a reaffirmation that the Center would not be used for missionary work. The congressional letter, the Israeli Attorney General's report, the ministerial committee's recommendation combined with the many other public relations efforts to good effect, and it soon appeared that the vast majority of Israelis (something on the order of 80 percent) supported the Center. Of the remaining 20 percent, approximately half were religious elements unwilling to countenance an alien Christian presence in their midst on any grounds, and the remainder was made up of nationalists and others who were still unconvinced of the Center's declared purpose and wanted to wait and see.

The Israeli Cabinet, responding to the recommendation of the ministerial committee, gave final authorization to the Lands Authority to lease the property on which the Center was built for forty-nine years with an option to renew for another forty-nine. The Cabinet requested that a public review committee be formed to oversee the nonacademic operations of the Center to ensure that no proselyting took place. This was obviously a conciliatory gesture to the powerful orthodox parties whose constituents, for the most part, remained convinced that the Center would find a way around its commitments not to proselyte Jews. 29 As it turned out, the review committee reduced concerns from certain elements of society while cooperating with the Center in accomplishing its stated goals.

On 18 May 1988, Elder Howard W. Hunter, Elder James E. Faust, and President Jeffrey R. Holland arrived in Jerusalem to sign the official lease documents. It was an historic day, just three months short of four years from the time when the first spade of earth was turned. The following year, in May 1989, Elder Hunter offered a beautiful dedicatory prayer in a quiet, private ceremony.

The students had moved into the partially completed Center in March 1987. Once fully operational, it would house about two hundred individuals, including students, faculty, administrators, and their families. The Center comprises living quarters, classrooms, library, offices, laundry, recreation spaces, study rooms, underground parking, kitchen and dining facilities, bomb shelters, two large auditoriums, audiovisual theaters, learning resource center, and a magnificent pipe organ, one of the finest in the Near East. The view from the huge plate-glass windows is of the ancient walled city of Jerusalem. Luxurious gardens are everywhere, including a large biblical garden with indigenous flowers, plants, shrubs, and trees that will grow at that elevation. Ancient and operable grinding mills and grape and olive presses adorn the grounds—a constant reminder of the land's rich and ancient history. The architects used open spaces, limestone arches, panoramic views, and the gardens to ensure that visitors who walked through the building, lounged on the terraces, studied in the classrooms, or meditated in the gardens would never forget that they stood on sacred ground, hallowed by peoples and events of the past.

The Church in Israel in the 1980S and 1990S

President N. Eldon Tanner was fond of saying that the Church discovered Israel in the 1970s and Israel discovered the Church in the 1980s. Latter-day Saint tours had started visiting Israel in earnest in the early seventies, and publicity about the Center made Mormons a household word throughout Israel in the eighties. Most Israelis had never heard of the Church before all the publicity put the Church in headlines and kept it there for more than four years. Of course, many American Jews had heard of the Church and BYU, but most Israelis had come from Europe, Africa, or the Near East.

For their part, as Church members in Israel endured the years of opposition to the Center, they suffered disappointment in the misunderstanding of the Church exhibited by so many Jews. The Church members had developed a great love and appreciation for both Muslims and Jews, and to see so much enmity was painful—never mind that only a small portion of Israeli society was actively opposed to a Christian presence, in any form, in the land. It was disappointing that the orthodox Jews, the group most opposed to the presence of the Church in Israel, was the very group with which the Church had most in common, especially with regard to many religious and moral issues of the day.

The members of the Church in Israel, including the transitory students, became a force for good among both Jews and Muslims. Their actions, their lives, their example, their faith and prayers helped convince people that the Church was no threat; on the contrary, it was a genuine friend. Often, while the Center was being built, the fasting and prayers of the members resulted in miracles at critical junctures in obtaining building permits, contracts, and various other governmental and municipal approvals.

In the end, the opposition to the Center seems to have created many more friends for the Church than it did enemies. Many bonds of friendship were forged in the heat of the opposition. Many, though not all, of those who most vigorously opposed the Center were eventually won over. One Israeli official, after quietly observing the many Jews who attended one of the performances of the Mormon Tabernacle Choir in Israel, wrote:

As satisfactory as was this musical event in Jerusalem's cultural calendar, there are dividends . . . that will be even more durable. As a social scientist trained to observe group behavior and [its] meaning, I was quite struck by the audience. . . . Not only how many, but also, who . . . I recognized the many members of the cultural and power elite of the nation's diplomats, government officials, industrialists, academicians, clergymen, mayors and solons. Some of them noticed each other at the gracious reception that followed the concert, and one could almost hear this one or that one saying to himself, "H-mm! Look who's here." . . . It was as if this assembly was validating the presence of BYU in our midst.

Most of all, was the religious crowd in your audience. I recall the source of the fiercest reaction to the idea of your school on the mountain. . . . To see these religious Jews of all stripes, including some wearing kipot, and then to note that they were ready to enjoy your hospitality and to be seen there, tells me that we are witnessing a turning point.

While many extremists are still at large, as I think of the "Mormon" concert . . . I feel comfortable in saying—perhaps for the first time—that the war is being won. We have met the enemy and they have become our friends. 30

Could there be a greater tribute to Latter-day Saints, whether in Israel or abroad, who had anything to do with the Center? Through their example and their desire to see a permanent Latter-day Saint presence in Jerusalem, BYU and the Church have not only a magnificent building in Jerusalem but, even more important, friends who have made them feel that Jerusalem is their home, too.

A Vision of the Jerusalem Center

The view from the Center allows an unparalleled panoramic view of such rich historical sites as the Old City, the Temple Mount, Mount Zion, Gethsemane, and Golgotha. In fact, one can, without moving one's head, take in the entire area of Jerusalem known to the Savior in his ministry. The whole inspirational setting can only cause one to pause and ponder the purpose, the mission, the ultimate destiny, of this Center.

The Latter-day Saints' multidecade presence with a study program in Jerusalem has suggested to most people (Israelis, Arabs, and even Mormons) a continuing institutional need. Of course, that could have been accomplished with a much less beautiful building at a much less controversial location, with much less visibility, and at a much lower cost. The location and beauty of the Center suggest not that the original premise is wrong but rather that the Latter-day Saint presence in this land portends something far greater. Is it possible, for example, that this Center is destined to become a great center of spiritual learning for the worldwide Church—a great pedagogical center, not unlike the Temples of old, where the faithful gathered by the thousands to be instructed in spiritual matters? The scriptures bear eloquent witness that Jerusalem is to become a great seat of learning in the last days. Isaiah saw our day and prophesied: "For out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem" (Isa. 2:3).

David Galbraith, a former director of the Center, wrote:

As I think on the grand panorama that is Jerusalem, from our Center located on the Mount of Olives before old Jerusalem on the east, I am compelled to believe that there is not a more historically majestic, exalted view in all the world. Meditation comes easily with such a view, and as the great historic landmarks pass before my vision, I am reminded that this city, because of its messianic ties, has had and will continue to have a greater impact on man, past, present and future, than any other city on earth; a city with a divine destiny that has determined that it shall be one of the two great capitals of the world in the "last days." 31

The Lord has said through his prophets that Jerusalem is to become one of the two centers of the Church on earth. Not by chance has a great facility been built here, but it is up to the Latter-day Saints to ensure that the Center realizes the full purpose of its creation.

David Galbraith wrote further:

With the "stones and mortar" in place, perhaps we can afford a moment to reminisce and reflect on what has been accomplished and where we go from here. It is often said by visitors that it is the most beautiful building in all of Jerusalem, while still others laud it in glowing terms as an inspiring work of art that will inevitably attract international recognition as a masterpiece of architecture and landscaping. But to us, it is much more than that; it is a sacred edifice—a "worthy offering to the Lord."

If it is true that in the final analysis the Center is still an inanimate shell, then let us, at the same time, acknowledge that what happens within its walls is the sanctifying force that gives it a life and meaning, perhaps not even confined to this dispensation. Indeed, everything that has transpired to date bears testimony of its grand destiny. The fact that it has the unique status of being a First Presidency project, coupled with the reality that Jerusalem is destined to become one of the two centers of the Church on earth, all bear eloquent witness to a future millennial role.

To our Jewish friends, some of whom are watching with distrust and even fear that the programs of the Center embody a form of spiritual threat which could lead to the conversion of many Jews, and to those who are uncomfortable with our references to millennial roles and world-wide centers, we say, peace! We will abide by our commitments to the letter. In keeping with the verbal and written assurances of our Church and university leaders, we will seek the spiritual development and well-being of our own. As President Harold B. Lee once promised, we will not enter Israel with our missionaries through the "back door." If the Church were to ever send missionaries, it would be through the "front door," invited. And if, as our opponents believe, such an invitation will never be extended, so be it. In some future millennial day when all that distinguishes and separates men will be dropped and when there will be no such designations as Mormon, Muslim or Jew, we will all choose from the best each has to offer and we will be "one."

Likewise, Latter-day Saints can rest assured that every official commitment related to our presence in Jerusalem is doctrinally sound and in keeping with the original intent to provide an educational center—a great spiritual hub of learning, for the world-wide Latter-day Saint community. And if for some, a millennial role is too distant, beyond our physical ability to reach or comprehend, who can doubt the present role of the Center as an institutional "forerunner," preparing the way for the advent of the Messiah. If such statements seem pretentious, even among our own, we would do well to consider the sobering fact that the prophet Isaiah prophesied of our day. One of the references to that prophecy is found in 2 Nephi 25:15-19, where it becomes readily apparent that Isaiah was portraying future developments that included Jerusalem when he so eloquently described what he saw—even "a marvelous work and a wonder" among the children of men. 32

Notes

^1. For a more comprehensive history with names, dates and details, see Baldridge, Grafting In.

^2. In a letter dated 20 November 1972, President Lee authorized the Saints in Israel to meet on Saturdays and the Saints in Muslim lands to meet on Fridays.

^3. The translation of an abridged version of the Book of Mormon in Hebrew was completed in 1977, although the entire book has yet to be published.

^4. For the text of Elder Orson Hyde's prayer, see Appendix 4.

^5. From the Articles of Association of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Israel.

^6. Jerusalem Center Policy and Procedures Manual, 1.

^7. That the Jerusalem Center was a First Presidency project meant that the Brethren gave direction not only to the "shape and form" during construction but also to what would happen within the walls once the Center was completed. This is particularly significant in light of developments in Jackson County, Missouri, which are also under the direction of the First Presidency. In other words, both the Old and the New Jerusalem proj-ects remain under the watchful eye of the First Presidency outside the regular channels for development projects.

^8. The Utah architectural firm of Fowler, Ferguson and Associates was retained for the project with Frank Ferguson taking the lead. Ferguson and his Israeli counterpart, David Resnick, worked together to give the building its unique shape, form, and architectural beauty.

^9. The land in question had been expropriated by the Israeli government from Arab owners after the 1967 Six-Day War. Israeli law prohibited the sale of such land, but this suited the Church's purposes because as a lease-holder, the Church would not be caught up in the political question of ownership. In other words, if rights of ownership were to revert to the original Arab owners, the Church, as lease-holder, would simply negotiate a new lease.

^10. Kol Ha'Ir [an Israeli newspaper], 8 June 1984.

^11. Boston Jewish Times, 6 Dec. 1984.

^12. Boston Jewish Times, 6 Dec. 1984.

^13. Inter Mountain Jewish News, 4 Jan. 1985.

^14. Adler to Yad L'Achim, 27 Jan. 1985.

^15. Yad L'Achim [a small group of Jewish religious activists opposed to Christian proselyting]to Knesset, Feb. 1985.

^16. Gil, in Erev Shabbat [a Hebrew weekly], 8 Feb. 1985.

^17. Binder, "Time Bomb on Mt. Scopus."

^18. Kol Israel [Hebrew radio station], 1 June 1985.

^19. Jerusalem Post, 4 June 1985.

^20. Kollek to "Emunah Women of America," 7 Feb. 1985.

^21. Letter to Peres with copy to Kollek, 2 Jan. 1985.

^22. Letter to the editor, Jerusalem Post, 25 Feb. 1985.

^23. The orthodox Jewish parties had several items on their political agenda along with the "Mormon Center," including a definition of who is a Jew, raising and selling pork in the Jewish state, and the desecration of bodies through autopsies. The refusal of the government to deal with any one of these issues was sufficient cause for the orthodox parties to call for a vote of nonconfidence in an effort to bring the government down.

^24. Presumably, had the committee ruled against the Center, the government would have been compelled to reimburse the Church for all expenditures incurred to that date.

^25. The commission by the Savior to "go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost" (Matt. 28:19) is understood by most Christians as a divine injunction to take the gospel to all the world.

^26. All students applying to the Jerusalem program sign a form which includes the following paragraph: "Since some students may have served proselyting missions for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, or have plans to do so, attention is drawn to instructions from the president of the International Mission of the Church requiring that participants in BYU Travel Study programs refrain from any form of proselyting activity in any country where the Church is not officially recognized or where proselyting is not sanctioned by the host government. . . . A student's signature on this application form constitutes acceptance of this restriction and infractions will be considered a violation of the honor code. Violators will be subject to dismissal from the program and immediate return home."

^27. This document appeared on university letterhead and was signed and notarized 1 August 1985.

^28. Letter from the Congress of the United States, 8 May 1986.

^29. The review committee was made up of five members: one appointed by the government of Israel; one appointed by the attorney general; one appointed by the Mayor of Jerusalem; and two appointed by the Center. The committee was to serve for ten years (until 1998), after which its term might be extended by mutual consent. According to the lease addendum: "Should the Lessee [Center] wish to undertake any activity or event not designed solely for the students of the Center, the Lessee shall be bound to submit such activity or event to the Committee to consider whether the same is in conflict with Jewish educational or cultural values."

^30. Dr. M. Bernard Resnikoff, director emeritus of the American Jewish Committee, to Truman Madsen, director of the Jerusalem Center, 13 Jan. 1993.

^31. Galbraith journal, 19 May 1988.

^32. Baldridge, Grafting In, 131-34.