Prime Minister of Jerusalem

In 1993, 2,300 people gathered in Dallas to honor Mayor Teddy Kollek - an event I organized. H

By MICHAEL D. EVANS
In 1993, 2,300 people gathered in Dallas to honor Mayor Teddy Kollek - an event I organized. He told us that night that "I had the greatest chance any human being could have; try to rebuild Jerusalem... When the Messiah will come, He has to come to a beautiful city." At breakfast the next morning, I asked Teddy if he would like a VHS copy of the event that had been taped for national broadcast. Teddy smiled and said, "No, not really. There is something I would like; I would like the time cue cards that you used last night - the ones that said '3 minutes,' '2 minutes,' '30 seconds' and 'Stop.'" He didn't elaborate, but I do know that he had a low tolerance for wasted words. During our last meeting in Jerusalem years after he retired, Teddy opened the briefcase on his desk, and there were the cards. He laughed and said, "That was the best gift you could have given me; I use these all the time." As a Christian Zionist, I was not at all pleased when I found out that Teddy was going to help the Mormons build a campus on Mount Scopus. I showed up in Teddy's office to protest. "Teddy," I said, "you cannot do this." I told Teddy the Mormons teach that Salt Lake City is Jerusalem, and that they are the real Jews. I implored him, "Let us build a center there for Christian Zionism." Teddy said, "I gave my word, and I will not back down. Calm down; you're getting more upset than the Ultra-Orthodox." He was right; I was. I made up my mind that I would appeal to a higher power - prime minister Menachem Begin... I said to Begin, "Mr. Prime Minister, I need you to overrule Teddy Kollek, and let us build a center for Christian Zionism on that spot." Begin looked at me, and asked softly, "Can you keep a secret? It is true that I am the prime minister of Israel, but Teddy is the prime minister of Jerusalem." Dr. Evans, a New York Times bestselling author, has for decades served as a key liaison between millions of evangelical Christians and Israel.