October 26, 2011
The Los Angeles Jewish Federation made a historic trip to Israel in honor of their 100 year anniversary. The Centennial Community Mission saw much of Israel, from North to South, with 8 buses travelling every which way. When LA Federation’s Chairman, Richard Sandler, told his longtime friend Mayor Ron Nachman that he wanted one of those buses to see Ariel the Mayor happily rolled out the red carpet.
Although all of the participants on the visit had been to Israel before, many had never made it to Ariel. Today was to be their first opportunity to get a close up on what they had previously only heard about. Their journey to Ariel was an eye-opening experience every step of the way.
Mayor Ron Nachman met the group at the Oranit Checkpoint, as they began moving eastward into Samaria. He took the group on a tour of the Ariel and Barkan Industrial Parks, and explained to them how the nearby communities comprised part of what is known as the Ariel Bloc.
Before entering the residential neighborhoods of Ariel, the group stopped off at the Ariel National Leadership Development Center (ANLDC), where they were greeted by the Center’s senior staff as well as some of the volunteer teens who work with youth in Ariel. A light drizzle only made the visit all the more exciting as everyone huddled under the shade canopy while watching a group in training.
After their visit to the ANLDC, the group headed over to the Ariel Regional Center for the Performing Arts, where they enjoyed dancing and singing performances by some of the city’s young performers. The next stop was the Lowell Milken Family Sports and Recreation Complex – one of the exciting pillars of community life in Ariel which benefits directly from the generosity of our friends in Los Angeles. The group then continued to Ariel University Center, where they met with some of the students and heard a presentation about the Incentive Technology Incubator.
The visit concluded on a high note with a Q&A session with Mayor Ron Nachman. Having had an opportunity to see what the City of Ariel has become and got a glimpse of its significance and centrality, people wanted to know more. Curiosity peeked, as our guests got to understand a bit more about Mayor Ron Nachman, his unparalleled successes and the wonder that is Ariel.
We thank our friends from Los Angeles – new and old – for coming. We look forward to seeing them again sometime in the future.