FIRST ADDENDUM

     "Just to set a couple of minor details straight, the Jerusalem Center was erected from 1984 to 1987.  We moved into the building in the spring of 1987.  The official dedication was held in 1988, and the dedicatory prayer given by Howard W. Hunter.  It sits on a 5 and one half acre plot on the Mount of Olives, adjoining Mount Scopus, and overlooking the Old City of Jerusalem and the Temple Mount.

     Our security personnel are part of a private company, not an Israeli government organ.  They are not soldiers, and are never armed.  No weapons are allowed into the building at any time, unless Israeli soldier groups arrive for a tour -- they, by law, must carry their weapons, but while they are in the building their weapons are stored in a large vault for the duration of the tour, while one of their company watches the vault along with one of our security personnel.  Our security personnel consist of both Israeli Jews and Arab Palestinians, who work together remarkably well, and develope great friendships with each other as a result of their work together at the Jerusalem Center.

     The Center can house as many as 170 students, plus eight to ten married couples who are at the Center as BYU faculty or administration, or who are here on service assignments.  Other faculty and administration live in apartments a few minutes drive from the Center.  We run five student academic programs throughout the year, including a Fall Semester (Sept - Dec), and Winter Semester (Jan - April), a Spring Term (May-June), a Summer Term #1 (June-July), and a Summer Term #2 (July-Aug) -- the two summer terms actually overlap each other, meaning we have over 300 students in the country in July (which is just now starting).  The core curriculum for all students on all programs includes classes in Old Testament, New Testament, Ancient Near Eastern Studies (history, geography, archaeology), Arab/Islamic studies, and Jewish/Israeli studies.

     Numerous BYU Travel Study tours, as well as other LDS oriented tours (Rona, etc.) visit the building for brief visits./  About 60,000 Israelis visit the building for a short tour each year.  No gospel or religious conversation takes place with the local Israeli visitors - they are shown the upper levels of the building, invited to listen to the organ and view the city from our balconies, and that's pretty much it.  Concerts featuring local musical talent are held every Sunday evening, which are heavily attended (free of charge) by local Israelis and others.  (Our upper auditorium can accomadate about 350 people).  The organ in the upper auditorium was made by the Marcusen company of Denmark."

SECOND ADDENDUM

     "May I be so bold to make two suggestions to improve your telling of experiences at the BYU Center?  In the anxiousness of the moment, some things might have gotten blurred.

     First, there are no soldiers with guns at the Jerusalem Center.  There are Arab security men who work for a contracted security/maintenance firm.  They carry walkie-talkies.

     Second, to Sister Rona's knowledge (She is the Church Historian in the Israel District) and to public knowledge, there was no contractual agreement of non-proselytizing in order to get the Jerusalem Center approved and built. 

     After the construction was well under way and an Orthodox Jewish anti-missionary group called "Yad L'Achim," announced to the Jewish world that the Mormons were building a missionary center, BYU sent a letter stating its non-proselytizing commitment.

     Later the same organization asked the First Presidency to sign a statement that they would keep the law against proselytizing.  As an Israeli, I can tell you factually that there is no such law in Israel to this date.  President Howard W. Hunter asked the organization to draft the statement they wanted him to sign.  In effect it said, "The community of the Mormon Church hereby agrees not to proselytize or do anything that would alter or change the cultural or religious values of the people of Israel."  President Hunter added the statement, ". . . as long as such activity is prohibited by the government of Israel."

     The statement was later rewritten on Quorum of The Twelve stationary with the proper name of the Church.  It was made an addendum "D" to the already existing contract with the State of Israel for the lease of the land and permission to build the center.

     You may contact the Israel Revealed office to get a copy of the Jerusalem Branch Historical Book called Grafting In.  It has copies of the agreements and addendums."

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