Every Day Life of a Professor's Wife: BYU Center for Near Eastern Studies

Over a year ago, the Professor received information that his paper had been accepted at the Israel -

Canada conference. The conference was held at Hebrew University on Mount Scopus in Jerusalem. Even though I was looking forward to the conference, I got nervous and apprehensive just before our plans to leave on May 15th. I always do before a trip. Fortunately the Professor is very patient with me and understands that when I get to our destination, I will be happy to be there and will enjoy being a tourist/visitor.

Some how the Professor managed to arrange a three night stay at Brigham Young University's Center for the Near Eastern Studies, commonly referred to as the Jerusalem Center. It worked out perfectly for us. We arrived in Jerusalem on Thursday evening and were able to stay at the Center until Sunday morning when we moved across the street to the faculty club at Hebrew University.

View of the Center from across the Kidron Valley. The Kidron Valley is situated between the Temple Mount (Dome on the Rock) and the Mount of Olives - one of Jerusalem's most sacred locales. The Center is built on a slope with terraced levels going down the hill. It has 8 floors. The top 2 floors are open to the public while the remaining floors house a private cafeteria, dormitory rooms and laundry facilities.

Entrance door

Hallway on the main floor

This is the view that the congregation sees each Sabbath Day (Saturday to coincide with the Jewish day of worship). It is the venue for not just sacrament meeting but organ concerts and other concerts throughout the year.

The organ is located in the back of the concert hall.

The Oasis is the name of the cafeteria at the Center.

If I remember correctly, these are ancient mosiacs that are on loan to the BYU Center.

Exterior view of the 8th floor of the center where the concert hall is located. The four models of the city of Jerusalem are off to the left in this photograph.

Looking across the Kidron Valley from the terrace at the BYU Center

Four models of Jerusalem from four different periods in history

The gardens on the entry level to the Center

Jars to store olive oil. I thought of the story of Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves when I saw these.

The Professor and I visited the Center before its dedication in the spring of 1989. When we were there, the structure of the building was complete but the gardens were not. Truman and Ann Madsen were the directors of the Center. Martin and Joann Hickman were also part of the faculty. The students were housed there and while we visited, they traveled to Egypt as part of their educational program.

During our stay I went for a walk around the grounds with Truman Madsen. He told me about the plans that had been made for the garden around the Center. At that time there were already millstones on the property. Professor Madsen talked to me about the pressing of olives to extract oil and compared this process with the suffering of our Savior in the Garden of Gethsemane.

He also talked about the verse from the scriptures that talks about the fate of anyone who abuses God's little children: Luke 17:2. It were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and he cast into the sea, than that he should offend one of these little ones.

I was familiar with the verse, but never before had the meaning of the scripture been impressed upon me as at this time. I looked at the millstone and vividly imagined the incredibly heavy stone tied around the neck of an offender and then both cast into the depth of the sea. I have known people who have been sexually abused and I cannot think of a more fitting punishment...except that the millstone would be a better consequence of their sins.

In that brief walk around the center, I learned so much from this great teacher. I will always be grateful for the time he took to teach me.