In a similar situation, it was for years thought that a Jew could not serve as president of ASOR because ASOR has a school in Amman, Jordan as well as a Damascus Committee and a Baghdad Committee that try to participate in archaeological efforts in Syria and Iraq. Finally, in a crisis, ASOR turned to Eric Meyers, who became president in 1990. The fact that he is a Jew has not hindered his effectiveness as president, nor hampered ASOR’s activities in Arab countries.