Jerusalem, An Afternoon of Art & Ideas 2023
On Saturday, September 2023, the Jerusalem Center Alumni held a symposium-like event at the Oak Hills chapel in Provo. The focus was on the art and inspiration of those who have experienced Jerusalem in connection with the BYU study abroad program.
Please enjoy the videos and photos below. We look forward to having you with us at future events!
To view the event program and details, click the button below
Photography Slideshow
The Old City as Art
A combination of five photographers’ works were included in this slideshow: Erin Madsen – Fall 1992, Brent J. Belnap – Winter 1984, Megan Malone – Winter 2023, Ellie Mason – Winter, 2023, and Tricia Petrey – Fall 1992.
Jenet Erickson
Thirty Years Later, Returning Once Again: Why the Jerusalem Center Experience only Grows in Power and Meaning over Time.
The experience we have as students is so profound, we may be unsure of its power to mean the same to us over time. Returning 30 years later, I found in “coming home” that its meaning had only increased. More life experience gave deeper understanding to the truths glimpsed years before: the sure reality of our covenant identity, the purpose of pain, our covenant belonging to one another, the unspeakable gift of His glorious Resurrection, and so many others.
Kerry Muhlestein
Covenant, Connection, and the Promised Land
Many of us have felt a connection to the Holy Land that we can’t fully explain. As we learn more and more about the connecting power of covenants, we may come to better understand this feeling. However, it should not stop there. Our deepening identities as covenant keepers and our connection to the land should also help us connect more and more with our covenant family, past and present. This can help make the scriptures become even more powerful for us. Increasing our covenant consciousness can help make our past experience in the Holy Land continue to yield spiritual blessings to us even as we live in a different Promised Land.
Jim Kearl
Ancient Map Collection Introduction
Jim Kearl shares with us his expansive collection of antique maps, dating back to centries ago. These are artistic maps that tell stories of the Bible.
Daniel Smith
3D Rendering of Holy Land Structures
Daniel has worked on many digital projects that feature ancient ruins digitally as they may have appeared during their prime. His work is featured on Scripture Central. He has recreated several ancient artifacts (including the clothing of the High Priest), which he also displayed at the event.
Jim Welch
Organ Performance
Jim is an accomplished professional organist who has played organs all over the world. He also played the Jerusalem Center organ and organs all over the Holy Land during his time as a service volunteer over the past year, 2022 – 2023. He played two songs, honoring Jerusalem, for this alumni event.
Clark & Jane Johnson
“Shalom, Israel”, a Poem
Clark and Jane read a poem by Clark’s father, Edward Johnson, that is precious to their family. Clark’s father encouraged all of the family to visit the Holy Land after his visit there, in 1976, that was so moving to him on a personal level.
Student Choir
Connect, Learn and Give
Deanne Welch, who recently returned from being a service volunteer at the Jerusalem and led the student choir, organized and conducted this wonderful program for our event. The students sang three songs.
