May 5, 2013
A group of 50 Australian Jewish high school graduates participating in “Israel By Choice” for their gap year in Israel visited the City of Ariel on May 5, 2013 to move beyond the realm of rumors and see Samaria firsthand.
Executive Director of American Friends of Ariel, Avi Zimmerman, greeted them at the Ariel Regional Center for the Performing Arts, providing them with a basic orientation concerning the realities of Israel’s Start-Up City. Students engaged in a discussion about borders, co-existence, and geography, learning about Ariel’s key role in expanding culture, education, and industry for the benefit of all peoples living in the region.
They also got a birds-eye view of the obstacle courses at the Ariel National Center for Leadership Development, which trains leaders through outdoor training exercises that build teamwork and trust. They left the tour asking their tour guide to bring them there to train, and, naturally, they are more than welcome.