Saturday, March 29

Mormon University, Mt. Scopus




*These photos were taken in the last remaining hours of sunlight I saw over Jerusalem, each from the same standing point. The landscape faces the South, and the other faces East.*

This is me with the road sign just outside of the JCenter. I miss that place. "Mormon University." You might be able to squeeze some recognition out of "BYU," but if you say "Jerusalem Center" or "Brigham Young University," very few people in the city will know what you mean. Church of Jesus Christ? Don't even think about it. One whisper of the word MORMON will get you a lot though. We have a reputation. Because of the respect we are known to show to holy sites, we are often invited to access places others cannot go; like the entire section of the Garden of Gethsemene that only Mormons, priests, and nuns are allowed to enter. Or when three complete strangers steered two American girls to a VERY nice hostel in the city, getting them a much better deal and a much bigger, cleaner place to stay. Why? All because the girls had made friends that morning with a couple 'a kids from the Mormon University. I remember the guy's faces when they heard the girls were going to a hostel across town. Horror struck, they said, "No no! Mormons cannot stay there. We show you much better place. Come this way." I couldn't believe the place they led us to--incredible. And all because they knew some Mormons.

5 shekels to taxi. "Mormon University on Mt. Scopus, please? Shukran."

(P.S: Shukran--Arabic for "Thank you." Todah--thanks, in Hebrew.)

4 comments:

Melissa said...

That still boggles my mind that you have done such amazing things like travel to a place where you take a taxi and speak in a different language. It seems so very far away and so very cool that you have done it!

Alicia said...

Okay, I still forget that you've actually traveled to Jerusalem...amazing experiences! I love the picture with the sunlight through the clouds!

Rebeccah Mildenstein said...

That has to be the best picture ever I need to have one of you and the sign. Putting in request early so when I get there in July I will have one LOL! I agree it is so SURREAL! You totally went to Jerusalem. You are wicked awesome!! K just throwing that out there seeing if it catches. I am all about trend setting LOL! Whatever LOL!!!

Rebeccah Mildenstein said...

K no no you are extra strength awesome!