JC Special Guests

Each of our guests was important -- whether on tours or concerts. This post will remind us of some visiting friends from home and other standout guests, in chronological order. 

Nancy Van Slooten, J.R. Clark Law Society Chair (Nov. '10). Her family toured for her father's birthday. Daughter Erica came as a Winter Term 2011 student.  Next, Senator Mike Lee of Utah (with his wife Sharon, Dec. '10) -- as guests of the American-Israel PAC.  The son of Rex and Janet Lee, Mike was newly elected and the youngest serving U.S. Senator. 

Christmas 2010 guests. Our Arab neighbor Sani toured the JC, then brought family members to several JC concerts. Nuns from Ephpheta School for the Blind in Bethlehem also attended the annual student Christmas concert.

Steve & Janet Smith (Feb. '11). These were the Huffs' friends from Pasadena .  Mike let her play the organ -- then we ate at the "Arab Cave," where we often took friends. Also, Jamie Askar, Deseret News writer / JRCLS grad (March '11). He was on my JRCLS History Committee & wrote a nice article on the JC.

The Browns & Pingrees (April 2011). Kent Brown (Academic Dir. 2009-10) & wife Gayle returned as tour guides. Elder John Pingree (Area 70, also my favorite missionary comp) & wife Carmen came with a Michael Wilcox tour -- after the death of Michael's wife.

Melissa (& Dan Jennejohn, April '11).  They came for one joyous week at Easter in Jerusalem, Galilee & coastal Israel.  Our youngest daughter also returned for a week at Christmas, 12/22 to 30, 2011.

The Thurstons (May '11). Dan Peterson's tour group included our own frequent traveling companions, Dawn & Morris (my former L&W law partner).   Others from Orange County included (L-Rt.) Switzlers, Thompsons, Ainsworths & Nielsons (Ralph with new wife Roseann -- on their honeymoon!) 

The Christensen Tour (May '11). Next, Roy & Carol brought many of their family and a large OC contingent, including (L-R) the Christensen clan, our own NB Hills Bishop John Packer & Annette, ward members Rick & Kim Nicholson. Also Floyd & Karen Brown, Mr. & Mrs. Joe Keller.  Roy & Carol Christensen have led more tours than anyone we know -- even more than Cleon Skousen or Truman Madsen -- and are still going strong.

Co-hosting this special tour were Elder John H. Groberg and his wife Jean. He was the only living General Authority to have a big-screen movie about his mission: The Other Side of Heaven (Anne Hathaway, in a very early role, played his wife Jean).  I also served under him as Reg'l Rep.

The Huffs. Kay & Randy stayed 4 more days to be with us in Jerusalem after their Christensen tour. In June '11 they were announced as the new LA Temple President and Matron.  Randy and I were roommates that married roommates -- and have been life-long friends ever since 1964.

The Davises (June '11), Norm & Mary were Newport Beach Temple friends -- from our Tuesday night shift.

Arab Charities. On 7/3/11, several friends from East Jerusalem societies attended the Arab-Jewish Youth concert, including Ansari family members (Beit al Maqdes), Nora Kort (AOS) with Betty Majaj & daughter Lina (Princess Basma) and Nureddin Amro & his son (Nur al Ain for the Blind).



Kofford Family. On 7/23/11 they all came to Sacrament Meeting at the JC. In summer 1984, I performed the marriage of Greg Kofford to Cynthia Hanna in NB.  (Her parents still live in our home ward.)  They brought all 7 living children (Adam tragically drowned in a 2009 family outing). Greg was owner & publisher of Kofford Books.

Glenn Beck. On Sabbath 8/20/11, Bro. Beck attended a Sacr.Mtg. (Sahar Qumsiyeh and both Chapmans spoke; Marilyn played Come Thou Font of Every Blessing.) I greeted him briefly, noting some mutual NY friends. He came late and left early -- to avoid any attention. His entourage left soon afterwards. He hosted Restore Courage rallies in Israel the next 3 days -- but JC had no role in  any of those efforts. [See our volume, Jerusalem Today.]

Elder Max Caldwell. On Sabbath 8/27/11, with his 2nd wife & tour group, he shared some superb insights in a testimony: (1) We are commanded to love only 2 persons with all our heart -- our God (Matt. 22:38) and our spouse (D&C 42:22). (2) "God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son" (John 3:16), and Jesus "so loved the world that he gave his own life" (D&C 34:3).

Janine Wynn (9/19/11). While leaving lunch in Istanbul, during our BYU Turkey field trip, we ran into this friend from Newport Beach -- our stake's best singer & Melissa's vocal teacher. 

Mark Nelson. On Thursday 9/29/11 (the start of Rosh HaShana'), our former bishop Andrew Nelson's brother Mark toured the JC with his daughter.  Andrew later said it was a turning point in Mark's life.

BYU President O. Cecil Samuelson's Kin. His wife Sharon's brother John and wife Jan Giauques (center front) came with a small LDS tour group on Tuesday, 10/4/11.

More OC Friends. Two dear widows came with the Victor Ludlow/Maureen & Scott Proctor Cruise Lady tour on 10/19/11. Nancy Whitaker was Cypress Stake Public Affairs Secretary. (Her husband Bob was Stake PA Dir. until his death in 2001.) Annette Rothman's husband Norm was my NB Stake Mission President in 1982-84. (He died the same day as Pres. Hinckley, in January 2006.)

The Madsens & Smiths. On 10/26/11, our friends Gordon & Carol Cornwall Madsen from SLC led a tour, including former OC colleagues Elizabeth & Gary Smith. (He was the eldest son of Patriarch Emeritus Eldred G. Smith -- then age 105.)

Peter Jarman. Marianne's friend came on 10/27/11. He had been a JC student in 1988 and was here on business. Once he stayed in our home with a youth group. Also, his family was close to Marilyn's folks in Portland.  Talley Goodson (2/2/12) was there on business -- Grant & Carolyn Goodson's nephew and brother of Jason (Marianne's 1st fiance).

The Dalton Sisters. On 10/29/11 Juana Mestres (former NB Stake) came with her 2nd husband, Hilton Terry. His grandson Izak Rock was a Fall Term 2011 student.   In Elder John Madsen's same tour group were Gary & Karen Mordock. Gary was the Thurston's Villa Park bishop before being a mission pres. -- then Anah. East Stake DPA. Both Juana & Karen were John Dalton's sisters.

The Rusicks. On 11/1/11 they came on a brief cruise stopover. Mary Ann had been my RS Presid. and Bob later was Mark's singles bishop and my golfing pal.

"Cousin" Justin Birtcher (11/26/11). He was also a Fall 2011 student and grandson of my 1st cousin, Ida Birtcher from Phoenix. She recovered at our home from a train crash outside Safford, AZ when I was young. Here he is with his mother's parents (Gale & Galenda Hakes) and the Chapmans.

The Udalls. Dr. Don & Lina (from our home ward) had a week's stay in Ein Kerem. On 12/5/11, we dined with them at Karma -- then again at their time-share apt.

The Cowans.  Bob also served on our NB Temple Tuesday night shift and invited us to his nephew's Bar Mitzvah at the Western Wall on Christmas Day. We missed it due to my bad cold and bad weather. But on 12/31/11, he taxi'd from Tel Aviv with his two daughters (Amanda & Sarah) and son in law for a JC Sacrament Mtg.

The Johnson Group (1/7/12).  Larry & Jynene brought a tour group of 25 -- about half from Cypress and HB Stakes in Orange County.   After a JC Sacrament Mtg., we gave our only outside fireside that night at the Olive Tree Hotel. We discussed our service assignment there and the JC history.

Each of these JC guests will treasure memories of their visits to that uniquely beautiful facility -- but none as much as we (except only Kent & Gayle Brown -- on several faculty assignments there).

JC Leaders and staff

About 50 full-time personnel are employed at the JC.  The Director over all day-to-day JC functions since 1994 was Eran Hayet -- age 47, born and raised in Israel as a secular Jew.  His Associate Director was Tawfic Alawi -- age 37, a lifelong Palestinian.

 Ultimate USA oversight was provided by Jim Kearl (BYU Vice Pres.) and Elder Jeffrey R. Holland (LDS apostle and former BYU President).

Eran's Administrative Assistant was Nino Zohar -- an orthodox Jew.  Neomi Weinstein -- a secular Jew born in Haifa -- had been the cultural arts director for 17 years.

Mona Hamuri -- a Palestinian Muslim -- assisted Tawfic.  The Office Manager was Malak Sharaf, also a Muslim.  She had been employed there since it opened in 1987.  All of these mixed cultures and religions got along famously well -- as was also true of all other staff members.  In fact, that was an essential condition of employment.

Accounting was all handled by Ghalib Nubani -- coordinated with Carl Bailey of BYU.  Both of them had been with the JC since its beginning.  When Carl retired in May '11, Kevin Walker (seated) replaced him for BYU. 

Security staff was headed by Tarek Safadi, a young Palestinian Christian with a great sense of humor.  About 12 others assisted him, including Bassam -- employed there from the beginning.

 Custodial staff of 8 was headed by Mohammad Zahaykeh.  The 2 youngest custodians were Mohamad and Sadek.  On request, they were willing (especially Sadek) to carry or move any thing, any time.

Qassem and Sa'ed were constantly cleaning glass -- even in the rain!

Samia deserved special mention.  She lived closest to the JC and has kept clean all public areas (Levels 7 and 8) from the beginning. 

 Maintenance staff of 7 was more specialized -- installers, painters, fixers and technicians, like Sami (setting up the next art exhibit) and Alex Stein.

 Food services had a staff of 7 -- but Jamil ("Jimmy") died of lung cancer while we were there.  So Ahmad Saheen became the head chef.  He did a great job -- mainly assisted by Luba.

Gardening staff included Dan Herman and Mohamad Mohana -- also JC employees from the start.  Their young understudy was Samer Shweki.  They worked very hard to keep the JC grounds like an oasis in a city of stone. 

JC employment was highly coveted -- good pay in a clean, wholesome environment with other nice people.  We never knew of any tensions with or among any of this fine staff during our 18 months.