September 9, 2022

The faculty and service couples were invited to a surprise birthday party for the Academic Director here, Eric Huntsman (with wife  Elaine and son Sam). We had real chocolate cake and ice cream!

                

The Center's Sunday concert series began again after the 2-1/2-year hiatus from Covid. The opening concert featured the entertaining Capriza brass quintet. The musicians each week are just fabulous. 

We went on the first field trip of the semester with the students: the Jerusalem Overlook.  First stop at Augusta Victoria, where Jim played the organ for four groups of about 23 students each.  We sang some hymns and Jim played some other music while they were walking around in the church.  It’s such a magnificent place and the acoustics are incredible. He also let some of them try the “stairmaster” bellows—they had never thought, of course, how an organ would have been winded before electricity.  Many comments throughout the day about what a highlight that had been.  We joined the group for a visit to St. Peter in Gallicantu and the overlook of the south wall of the Old City, City of David, Salem (Jerusalem) of Melchizedek; then Tayelet (Haas Promenade), followed by Mar Elias with its view of Ramat Rachal kibbutz to the north and Bethlehem to the south. We ended at Nabi Samwil, the traditional site of the tomb of the prophet Samuel.  This unusual building is a mosque with an orthodox Jewish synagogue in the basement.  This was also a quarry and the traditional site of Hannah’s Spring.  At each of these locations we were presented with a dizzying amount of Old Testament history, as well as devotionals given by Frank Judd and David Seely.  It was also very hot and there was little shade, but fascinating nonetheless.  So much fun visiting with the students on the bus and exploring historic sites. 

         JoAnn Seely pumping the bellows

Frank Judd teaching at Haas Promenade

 

Nabi Samwil

The tours opened Wednesday, at long last, and they took down the sign in front of the Center that said “Sorry, no tours today.” We had two tours each with about 45 Jewish senior citizens in the morning, and in the afternoon a Russian tour leader who came solo to see what it was all about. He was very impressed. None of our guests spoke English, so it was easy leading the tours (we didn't have to say much!). They watched the video about the Center (it's available in 5 languages); then Jim played a short organ recital. We then take the visitors out to the terrace to take in the view; and they exited through the Biblical garden with the olive and grape presses. Keeping the groups moving was a lot like herding cats, but we had fun and I think all of our guests enjoyed their tours.

We stopped at the American Colony Hotel while we were out this week. This elegant 19th-century hotel started as the home of a rich Turkish merchant (and his four wives), but was later bought by the Spafford family of Chicago in the late 19th century who made it a center of humanitarian works. The grounds are exquisite. Maybe lunch in the courtyard one of these days?

Jim offered to take some students on a walking tour on Thursday. He thought there might be 10 students, but there were at least 50!  They left at 11:00, walked by the barber shop with the good but heavy-handed Arab barber (he pointed it out to the men), down through Orson Hyde Park, and to the Russian Church of St. Mary Magdalene, which is only open Tuesdays and Thursdays 10-noon.  The students were wowed by that.  He then took them down to Mary’s Tomb (grotto).  Some students returned to the Center, but Jim continued with them down the Kidron Valley to see Absalom’s Pillar and the tombs of Zedekiah and Sons of Hezir; then walked up the stairs to Dung Gate, past Western Wall, all the way through the Old City, and finally to the falafel shop at Damascus Gate (big surprise).  He ended up with about 25 students.  They thought he was pretty cool, that he knew his way around and could walk fast.  One guy said, “When I’m 30 like you, Brother Welch, I want to be as fit as you.”  Rode the bus back from Damascus Gate.  It was hot! 

          Prepping for the tour

the falafel shop

We learned of Queen Elizabeth's passing!  What a life and legacy. We watched reports of her life throughout the day.  We had several tours this week, and it was fun.  Most visitors were Israelis from around the country, but we met one US couple (David and Bethany Payne from Maryland).  Jim showed them the organ up close and we had nice visits with all of them.  The chef put together a wonderful Mexican lunch at the Oasis cafeteria.  We worked on filing the Valparaiso Singers music in the filing cabinets here.  The music finally arrived with the students this semester. How wonderful to see our old favorites again! 

Friday evening, we rode with the BYU Alumni group and students on a bus over to the Western Wall where we witnessed the lively evening of Shabbat celebrations--praying, dancing, and singing!  What a tradition! 

Orthodox worshippers

Women dancing on one side of the courtyard

Men dancing on the other side

Family update: Jameson and Erika are back in Provo and back to school. Only two more semesters left to graduate! Jameson spent five weeks at Fort Knox this summer for military training (think hot and humid!). Erika was working and living in lovely Coeur d'Alene, Idaho, with her family. Glad they are back together. Nicholas is off to Washington DC to intern for Mitt Romney until December. He is one of four interns this quarter. One of the other interns was actually a student here with us at the Center last semester! Small world.

And the moon over the walls of  the Old City was 

a spectacular ending to the week!