Government meetings regarding changes in the route of the security fence have raised all kinds of questions about how Ariel and the surrounding communities will be affected. Media reports, here in Israel, have been almost as varied and inaccurate as the information being tossed about on the Internet.

To clarify the situation, Shalom Ariel asked Mayor Nachman if he could help us make sense of all the conflicting reports.

Ariel's teens brought in 2005 in the company of a group of Christian friends from the JH Ranch in northern California. The group spent the week-end in Ariel attending Sabbath services at the Sephardic synagogue and sharing in adventure games that foster leadership skills.

The group also enjoyed a performance by Ariel's Senior Choir and the City's teen entertainers, For Zion's Sake. Led by Bruce and Heather Johnston and joined by several members of the Johnston family, the Americans participated in a special discussion program called Caf? Dilemma. Discussion touched on a wide variety of subjects, including terrorism, the peace process and the resurgence of anti-Semitism.

In early December, Ariel was blessed with a visit of 75 Christian supporters of Israel and friends of Ariel. Led by Pastor Robert Mawire of GoodNews Ministries and WRNO Radio in Fort Worth, Texas and Pastor Ray Bentley of Maranatha Chapel in San Diego, the group celebrated Chanukah with the residents of Ariel. They enjoyed various performances by Ariel entertainment groups and joined in the lighting of Chanukah candles. Ariel presented both Pastors with Artistic display "dreidels", the spinning tops used on this special festival of lights, as a gesture of thanks for their consistent support for Ariel.