Happy Holidays from Ron Nachman

The mayor of Ariel, Ron Nachman, would like to wish all of Ariel’s friends the happiest of holidays.

Hanukah message from Mayor Nachman

Dear Friends,

Today we celebrate.

The first day of Hanukah is a time for us to consider just why the City of Ariel is so important. The message of witnessing miracles “in those days, and in these times” resonates with us. To fully appreciate why, we need to take a look at the greatest challenge that Israel faces today.

Yes, Iran is building up a nuclear program that threatens Israel and the entire free world. True, the so-called “international community” consistently attempts to find fault in Israel. Indeed, Prime Minister Netanyahu is condemned by the United Nations for building homes for Jews in our ancestral homeland. The list goes on and on. But there is an even more profound challenge that we face.

The greatest danger that we face today is the transformation of Zionists into Israel’s greatest adversaries. It’s sad but true. As time goes on we see the impact of the anti-Israel propaganda campaign hitting harder and harder. For the first time, growing numbers of Jews are proud to be critical of Israel. They are fed not only by the general anti-Israel media bias, but by a small but vocal group of extreme leftwing Israelis who fight Israel from within. Politicians such as Yossi Beilin, who cannot influence Israeli politics due to lack of domestic support, opt to apply international pressure on Israel through foreign governments and organizations. Our greatest challenge is our very own people.

As opposed to other holidays when we celebrate the survival of the Jewish Nation, on Hanukah we celebrate the survival of the Jewish soul. The Greeks waged a spiritual war against the Jews, attempting to strip us of our culture and our faith. The Greeks were extremely successful, with significant numbers of Hellenist Jews adopting the Greek culture and its anti-Israel perspective. Ultimately, it was a small group of Jews who successfully resisted the Greek Empire. Their message was simple; the spirit of the Jewish People cannot be extinguished. Our light will live on, forever.

As disturbing as it is to see just how many have fallen into the anti-Israel camp, be reassured that there are people in Israel with a proud Jewish spirit. Everything that we have built in Ariel – and everything that we continue to build– proclaims the success of Zionism. From immigrant absorption to education, from culture to youth development and from community health to regional stability, every element of life in Ariel is enhanced and enriched with a sense of purpose. Whoever visits Ariel is infused with sincere pride in the Zionist Enterprise – and for good reason. Ariel is a reminder to all that the Jewish spirit is alive and well, and it will never fall prey to the empires of the world that choose to undermine it.

I invite you to celebrate with us. I am extremely appreciative of our many friends, both Jews and Christians, who walk with us and lend us encouragement. Now, during this holiday season, I want you to be inspired. Every time you think about Ariel, be proud. Think of what you have done and will do in partnership with us. Let that sense of pride grown within you. Let it motivate you as you celebrate this special time with your friends and your family. And don’t forget to tell them about the City of Ariel, where the light shines as strong as ever.

Happy holidays,

Ron Nachman

Mayor of Ariel

Herman Cain and Ron Nachman in Ariel

Via Friends of Ariel

Ever since Mike Huckabee’s visit, it seems that the path to the White House runs through Ariel. On Friday, August 26, our friends Jerry and Deborah Strober brought Presidential hopeful Herman Cain and his wife Gloria to the City of Ariel. It was quite the visit.

Herman Cain and Mayor Ron Nachman

Mayor Ron Nachman met the delegation at the Oranit Checkpoint on Highway 5. He opened with explanations regarding the history of the region and a geopolitical background as it relates to current events. From Highway 5 the group took a driving tour through the Ariel and Barkan Industrial Parks, where they were exposed to the success of Israeli industry and the significance of coexistence between Israelis and the Arabs who reside in the region.

The first stop in the residential area of Ariel was the Eshel Hashomron Hotel, where Mr. and Mrs. Cain got a glimpse of Ariel’s position as the tourist’s capital of Samaria. From there the group went to the Ariel National Development Center, where Ariel’s role as a contributing force to the State of Israel became crystal clear.
The Cain’s met a number of Ariel’s residents along the way, including Irena and Kuba Vadislavsky – the Holocaust survivors who run the Ariel Holocaust and Heroism Memorial Museum.

All throughout the visit, as Mr. Cain internalized the centrality of Ariel and it’s national significance, he was dually impressed by Mayor Ron Nachman’s vision and success in establishing a city in the heart of Samaria. A stop at Ariel University Center only served to draw that point home, following an informative tour at some of the Center’s research laboratories.

Shortly after they met, it was obvious that Mr. Cain and Mayor Ron Nachman have quite a lot in common. Amidst conversation they discovered that, in addition to their respective entrepreneurial successes and their bold approach to tending to their nations’ needs in spite of the undesirable elements that may arise in politics, they are both proud and healthy cancer survivors who know the value of life and are doing their best to make the most of it.