 Jewish Community, Governor Honor IWU's Wilbur Williams
By Alan Miller 9/22/05 When Dr. Wilbur Glenn Williams first traveled to Israel in 1958, he was caught in the political turmoil surrounding the assassination of King Faisal II of Iraq. Instead of visiting the Old City of Jerusalem, Dr. Williams only was allowed to stand on a hill and look into the city. "When I crested the hill and looked at the Old City, I began to cry. I couldn't help it," said Dr. Williams, Associate Professor of Biblical Literature and Archaeology at Indiana Wesleyan University. "I made God a promise on that hillside that I would run tours to Israel." Forty-seven years and 123 tours later, the 76-year-old Dr. Williams is still fulfilling his promise to be a Holy Lands tour guide. In addition to a full teaching load at IWU, he has five trips to Israel scheduled in the next year. "They are more than just tours, though," Dr. Williams said. "They are spiritual odysseys to help people get closer to the Lord; an avenue for people to better define their relationship with God." Dr. Williams' long-time interest in and support of Israel has not gone unnoticed by Indiana's Jewish community. The Indianapolis Israel Bonds Organization honored Dr. Williams Sept. 18 as a "great friend of Israel." Dr. Williams had his own cheering section at the Indiana-Israel Dinner of State, thanks to Betty Fleck, a Marion resident whose son lives in Israel. Mrs. Fleck took eight friends and relatives to the dinner. Dr. Jim Barnes, IWU president, and his wife, Tommie, also attended the dinner in Indianapolis. " It is so wonderful what Wilbur has done over the years for Israel, and I looked forward to the evening," Mrs. Fleck said. "We need to get as many people as we can to Israel." Dr. Williams, who studied Hebrew culture as a graduate student in the 1960s, also has participated in several archaeological digs in Israel since he joined the IWU faculty in 1967. "I'm a Gentile with a Jewish veneer," he said. Michael Blain, Director of the Indiana Office for Israel Bonds, said Dr. Williams' award was given on behalf of the Israel Ministry of Tourism. "I am sure there wasn't anyone at the dinner who had been to Israel as many times as Dr. Williams has," Mr. Blain said. "And he has gone in good times and bad times. When there is trouble in Israel, many of our people cancel their travel plans." Indiana Gov. Mitch Daniels was an honorary co-chairman of the dinner and presented a "Distinguished Hoosier" award to Dr. Williams. "I have been pro-Israel for so many years, so it's an honor to officially be recognized as a friend of Israel," Dr. Williams said. "I underscored my support by buying a State of Israel bond at the dinner." Dr. Williams also wrote a poem about Israel that he shared at the dinner Other honorees at the dinner included wife-and-husband physicians:
The dinner speaker was Rabbi Richard Hirsch, honorary life president of the World Union for Progressive Judaism. Hirsch, who has lived in Jerusalem since 1973, is the father of Ora Pescovitz. Alan Miller is the University Relations Director at Indiana Wesleyan University. |
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