Ariel’s Young Adult Center opened early in 2016 to a grand ceremony and media coverage. Nine months later, we sat down this week with the Center’s Director, Shir Avikassis-Arbiv, to see how the institution has evolved. “The Young Adults Center is a relatively new concept in Israel – it’s the 11th year of [the franchise’s] … Continue Reading »
American Friends of Ariel began launch events for its 25-year anniversary celebrations this month, with two exciting gala events in Dallas, Texas. Hundreds of people flocked to the City Cafe to reminisce, learn more about Ariel, and hear our keynote speaker, Dr. Robert Mawire. Both events featured art from Ginnie and Sarah Johnson, of King’s Daughters, who … Continue Reading »
The International Football (Soccer) Association, or FIFA, almost banned soccer teams from Judea and Samaria from playing in the league last month, due to pressure from the international NGO Human Rights Watch. FIFA initially seemed likely to agree to the ban –but has since declined to act on the issue. And while some pro-Palestinian organizations … Continue Reading »
The first recorded marathon in history is coming back to life — right here in Ariel. Greek legend has it that the first marathon began after the soldier Phillippiddes ran from the Battle of Marathon to Athens – some 42.2 kilometers or 26.2 miles – to report the Greek victory. But did you know that … Continue Reading »
Update: We’ve launched our Talk17 crowdfunding campaign! Click here to learn more. American Friends of Ariel is excited to announce the upcoming launch of a brand-new platform: Talk17. 2017 is a big year for Israel. It’s 50 years since the Six-Day War and 100 years since the Balfour Declaration. Following our highly successful prep2017 conference – which … Continue Reading »
Today, October 6, 2016, American Friends of Ariel completed an important project: collecting the signatures of thousands of people who support Ariel against the Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions (BDS) movement and presenting them to Mayor Eliyahu Shaviro – who then showed the project to Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu. Over 2,400 people signed our petition to … Continue Reading »
2017 marks 100 years since the Balfour Declaration and 50 years since Israel’s triumphant return to Judea and Samaria – and American Friends of Ariel is getting ready for an interesting year. Last week, we hosted a special conference to discuss and prepare for 2017. Presentations included an introduction to conceptual frameworks about Judea and … Continue Reading »
The 2016-17 school year started earlier this month in Ariel – and local schoolchildren have a lot to be excited about. The City of Ariel completed a number of exciting projects before school opened in September, including: The new and improved Nitzanim daycare center reopened with new air-conditioning units and furniture; 2 new kindergartens, the … Continue Reading »
It’s the first partnership of its kind – not only in Ariel, but possibly in all of Israel. Three professors and communications experts from the York Entrepreneurship Development Institute (YEDI) held a unique course at Ariel University this summer, bringing the world of international business partnerships to the Capital of Samaria. Fifteen students from a variety of fields learned for … Continue Reading »
Friends of Ariel is proud to announce support for the HILA program, a unique school for at-risk teens in danger of slipping through the cracks of the conventional school system. The HILA program for the advancement of youth gives opportunities and life back to teens who have dropped out of conventional middle and high schools for any … Continue Reading »
Summer 2016 in Ariel is coming to a close. Here’s a recap of some of our favorite moments. Movie Night American Friends of Ariel, in partnership with the Ariel Development Fund, hosted an exciting series of children’s movies for the second summer in a row. This year, Summer Movie Night kicked off with a special … Continue Reading »
It’s difficult to imagine a new immigrant who embraces volunteer work just after landing in their new home. It’s difficult to imagine them successfully applying their administrative skills even before they have an opportunity to learn the language. And it’s hard to imagine them persisting in their commitment to community through thick and thin for … Continue Reading »