Palestinians at home at Y.

PROVO — Hanging in the window of a Palestinian antique merchant's shop in Jerusalem's Old City is a sign that says, "My money and my daughter go to BYU."

Brigham Young University hasn't sent students to its Jerusalem Center since 2000 because of concerns about safety in the Middle East, but a little-known scholarship program has continued to send a steady flow of young Palestinians from the Holy Land to BYU.

A number of Palestinian, Muslim and Arab parents choose to ship their money and their sons and daughters to BYU because the LDS Church-owned university's moral values are closely aligned with Palestinian-Muslim ideals.

The unique fit between two cultures that honor large, strong families and shun immodest clothing, alcohol and premarital sex also appeals to those students who get full rides to BYU through the scholarship program.

Middle Eastern students account for 7 percent of the international students at BYU. Students from abroad make up 6 percent of BYU's some 30,000 students.

"It's the same doctrine, the same culture, the same values," said Tarek Maragha, a Palestinian student from Jerusalem.

BYU's West Bank/Gaza Scholarship Program provides housing, tuition, books and meals for up to eight students at a time, said Erlend "Pete" Peterson, BYU's associate international vice president.

A freshman named Baseem Hallak is scheduled to arrive this fall to begin a four-year scholarship. When funding is available, the program also brings one or two students to BYU for an intensive, two-month immersion in English during late summer at the English Language Center, west of LaVell Edwards Stadium.

Falah Alsiekh liked BYU so much after his two-month stint last year that he sought a full-time scholarship to finish a master's program. He arrived back in Provo in May after completing his degree in English literature from Al-Quds University in Jerusalem.

Alsiekh also recruited the two students who completed the summer program Friday and who are flying home today. One was Maragha, a senior at Al-Quds whose application failed last year. Alsiekh talked him into trying again.

Haneen Alshroukh needed different assurances, as did her parents. Muslims greatly value the virtue of women.

"Haneen was reluctant," Alsiekh said. "I encouraged her and told her family she would be safe here, that people here are conservative and respectful of other religions."

The Palestinian students and BYU Jerusalem Center volunteer Melvin Luthy, a retired BYU linguistics professor, agree that Palestinians and Utahns too often believe negative mass-media stereotypes about each other.