Subject: GVI If I forget thee O Jerusalem

This is for Daniel, from Raphaela
All those un-interested in Jerusalem stories and memories
are advised to delete. I think it may turn out rather a lengthly
nostalgic piece.

You said, Daniel, that you
>... played as an extra and second in the movie Jesus Christ
> Superstar, and became an Evangelical Christian. Actually, the movie
Jesus
> Christ Superstar played an important role in my becoming a Christian just

> before Christmas 1972, in Eliat.

How interesting! I remember the shooting of the movie.
Some of it was done practically in my own back yard.
I was already a student, in Jerusalem, but my home base was
in Sede Boker, a desert spot overlooking a spectacular view of
Wadi Zin, incorporated into the movie.
Some scenes were shot in the ruines of the Nabatian city of Avdat or Ovdat,

a few Km to the south.
Many of my friends participated in crowd scenes as extras.
At the time it seemed like a frivolous activity to me,
You can see the kind of person I was. Oh so serious.
But finally, when I watched the movie I was impressed and moved
And realizing that it actually caused you a change of heart
I can only regret missing the experience.
I was not destined to go by way of Christianity first.

In case that you knew and remember Jerusalem, I will just mention
that the first church center was in the Armenian quarter of the old city.
You enter the old city by Jaffa gate, turn right by David's Tower.
Follow the road that goes all the way to Mt. Zion, just before the Armenian
Patriarchate complex.

I met the church because I befriended John, an American intellectual turned
Potter of primitive, pure style.
His studio was just 2 doors away from that church center,
and I, putting Math aside, momentarily, for my quest,
spent most of my days with him, learning about life, art and religion.
One day we received a large new electric wheel for the studio.
3 passers-by stopped and offered help,
in hauling it down a 3 step ancient stair case.
2 of them were Dutch, very blond, extremely well groomed and polite boys.
The other was a long haired American, toting a guitar.
The Dutch boys left promptly, once the wheel was established in place.
The American couldn't stop talking about this new thing he was studying
with those Dutch squares, just 2 doors away, they have this commune or
whatever.
We should really come and check it out.
John hated him immediately. It is really funny how it works.
People of all religious walks, you name it, came by this attractive studio.
Attractive, because I was there, a truely searching person.
All religions and sects were discussed, while John tried to do some work,
smiling to himself, a tolerant father figure.
But he was totally negative to Neal, who would become my sp. brother and
father.
Neal was singled out and was never welcome in the studio.
So I had to go and listen to it all in the center.
This is how I joined.

Sorry for this lengthly ramble - I just thought you might have passed by
these places yourself during your time in the Holy Land.
If you have the time, I am would always interested to hear of your
experiences.

> But I probably still needed the trip through Europe and return to New
York
> before I could accept the Divine Principle in late May 1972

All the best
Raphaela
raphaela@loxinfo.co.th


Raphelia,
I Love it!

> This is for Daniel, from Raphaela
> All those un-interested in Jerusalem stories and memories
> are advised to delete. I think it may turn out rather a lengthly
> nostalgic piece.

More!
ITL,
Jon

PS, Daniel was one of the first people I met in the church! 1974, July 19.
Putting on his tie in the bathroom mirror in our hotel room in Rochester
NY. I was about to attend my first 3 day workshop, having little idea what
it was about. I was a little surprised that he was dressed so well...
*************
From: Joy Pople

The closest I've come to Jerusalem is a little sack of dirt from the Garden
of Gethsemane buried among the roots of a pine tree in Thornden Park
overlooking Syracuse. George Kise brought it back from the Holy Ground
there. He went to Israel just before the outbreak of the Persian Gulf War.
Having broken his back when he drove off an embankment while driving
from
Alaska to Seattle, George was wearing a body cast; suspicious security
officials at the Israeli airport searched him thoroughly.

We have had some memorable Il Jeung prayers during winter storms
blowing
gale-force winds at that holy ground, dedicated with soil blessed by the
feet of two Messiahs.

Joy


******************

From: "Daniel M. Davies"
Daniel to Raphaela:


> All those un-interested in Jerusalem stories and memories
> are advised to delete. I think it may turn out rather a lengthly
> nostalgic piece.

Ditto.

> At the time it seemed like a frivolous activity to me,
[The filming of Jesus Christ Superstar in Israel in 1972-1973]
> You can see the kind of person I was. Oh so serious.
> But finally, when I watched the movie I was impressed and moved
> And realizing that it actually caused you a change of heart
> I can only regret missing the experience.
> I was not destined to go by way of Christianity first.


Thank you for the memory-provoking story about your time in Israel in
1971. There are so many thoughts that come to mind from you writing
about Israel. Especially the filming of Jesus Christ superstar. You
lived with the filming nearly in your back yard! Those were beautiful
settings.

The movie Jesus Christ Superstar was a turning point for many of us who
took part in the movie. None of us were Christian at the beginning of
the filming. Over half of us became Christians by the end of the
filming. We almost all felt God's presence powerfully. And Ted Neily,
the fellow who played Jesus, became the part he played. An extremely
humble, kind, generous, passionate, and outgoing person. We had an
opportunity to speak serveral times during the filming. Our
conversations made a lasting impression on me.

The movie had so many powerful moments for me and others: The Temple
scene when Jesus cast out the merchants out (I worked the weapons booth
in the scene). Taking Jesus to see Pilate (I was a supposed friend of
Jesus in that crowd scene. What a friend! Taking part in a procession
that lead to his execution..) The Valley of the Lepers scene (I was one
of the lepers, but you'll have a hard time picking me out), the Power
and the Glory dance scene---that was just plain fun (I was one of the
dancers in the scene). The procession of Jesus into Jerusalem on Palm
Sunday (I was one of the crowd cheering him on). And many others. But
the crucifixion scene stands out most of all in my memory.

One of the regular actors got sick on the day of the filming of the
crucifixion scene. The director walked over to me, grabbed me by the
sleeve, and said: "You're on!" We all had partners. My partner was a
beautiful black woman who was an excellent actress. The director
instructed us that we would need to shed tears during the filming. I
told her: "I've never acted before. What should I do?" She said, "It's
easy. Just imagine that the man on the cross is someone you love most
in the world."

So, during the filming, I imagined first of all that he was my older
brother, Marc. I have been extremely close with him. That worked
pretty well. I got a tear or two. We had to do a second take. I
thought; Who is really on that cross? The thought came powerfully that
the person on the cross is anyone who wants to do good in this world:
Jesus, Ghandi, Martin Luther King, John Kennedy, Robert Kennedy (you
might disagree with me on the last two, but maybe you can get the point
anyway), any person who tried to do good in the world ended up on the
cross. Then a devastating realization hit me: That's me on the cross!
I think that Robert wrote that we are all Messiahs. Well, I guess that
is sort of the experience that I had then. Tears flooded. I wept
profusely. The world kills anyone who wants to live for good.

The filming of the crucifixion took a long time. The day was a sunny
with clear skies. While we were standing around the cross, watching
Jesus get nailed to the cross, the sky suddenly began black. Extremely
dark clouds appeared and made the day seem like night. We looked at
each other and said: "What is happening here?!"

At the conclusion of the filming of the crucifixion, the director
instructed us all to turn from the cross from which Jesus hung, and move
slowly off the set. We all turned, and began to walk off. Then,
without cue, we all stopped, turned around to look at Jesus crucified on
the cross, and stopped. Then we turned together, without cue and began
to walk off the set. We did that three times. While we did those three
turns, we felt an awful sense of loss. No one spoke a word. No one
could speak a word. We were silent in a sense of profound sorrow.

After we moved off the set, no one spoke a word. We just looked at each
other and our eyes said all. Unspeakable grief and sorrow. The mood
prevailed during the bus ride back to the hotel, that night at the
hotel, and until the morning. People barely spoke. If they said
anything, they shook their head and said something like: "unbelievable."
I met Norman Jewison, the director, in the hotel bar. He looked glum
and said little or nothing.

Anyway, not too long after that I became a Christian. But I have
written too much already, so I will set that story aside.

Raphaela, I remember Jeursalem well, as you described. Thank you for
relating how you met the UM. There are many things to say about
Jerusalem, but may be another time. I am grateful for your story.

Daniel

******************************
From: Raphaela
Teri was inquiring
>
> >But he was totally negative to Neal, who would become my sp. brother
and
> >father.
> >Neal was singled out and was never welcome in the studio.
> >So I had to go and listen to it all in the center.
> >This is how I joined.
>
>
> Neal who? Anybody the rest of us might know?
>
> Teri
>

Neal is Neal Drucker
Joined in Israel, 1972
Blessed 1975, with Diane (nee?--), American sister, missionary to Sudan
They have been in Israel up to several months ago.
They have a boy (17) and a girl (15)
Neal is now in Kodiak, Alaska, fishing industry
His family is in the process of joining him there.
Israel has been a hard and barren soil for their efforts.
I wish them happiness in their new direction.

Thanks for asking
Raphaela