Ariel - Israeli city in the mountains of Samaria

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Ariel is an Israeli city on the Jordan River. Ariel is secret capital Israeli settlements in Samaria.

Ariel was founded in 1978 and received city status in 1998.

The population is 17.7 thousand people (2010), including about 7 thousand repatriates from the CIS countries.

The national composition of the Jews is 80.9%. Confessional composition: Jews, Christians.

Ariel is the fourth largest Jewish settlement in the West Bank after , and .

Story

In early 1978, a group of Israelis organized and decided to find a place in the hills of northern Samaria to create a new residential area. The group made a formal request to the government to allocate space for the construction of a new residential area and received three options: the area near the "lone tree" (later to become the village of Barkan), the area that would later become the village of Kfar Tapuah, and the hill near Kifl Hares, which the local Arabs called "Jabel Mawat" ("Hill of Death"), because of the inhospitable terrain.

The group chose this site because of its strategic location on the route of a possible invasion by Jordanian forces towards the center of Israel and the city of Tel Aviv. In the spring of 1978, part of the group set up tents on a selected hill, and in August 1978 a total of about 40 families lived there.

Initially, all members of the group went through a selection process in order to get the right combination of qualified adults and young families who would be psychologically ready to endure the new village from scratch, with limited infrastructure and without modern amenities.

At that time there were no paved roads in that area. Water was brought periodically by tank trucks. Electricity was represented only by a diesel generator, since in this area there was also no electrical networks. The tents were replaced with prefabricated block houses, which served as both housing and a school and hospital. On September 1, 1978, the first academic year was officially opened at the village school.

As the community grew, it was joined by diverse populations, including traditional ones, although the city retained its predominantly secular character. The city now includes 14 synagogues of various ethnic denominations of Orthodox Judaism.

In 2009, the city council decided that the city was given a name. However, in 2010 the government commission dealing with names settlements Israel, decided that the city of Ariel would not be named after the former prime minister.

Legal status

Ariel is located on the territory of the West Bank, occupied by Israel in the course of Israel considers these territories disputed, the Arab countries and the UN -. After and before the Six-Day War, the territory of the "West Bank" from the point of view of the UN was occupied by Jordan, and from the point of view of Jordan it was its sovereign territory.

In 2004, Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas stated

In 2006, the former prime minister of Israel stated

Boycott cases

The academic center is sometimes boycotted by international inter-university organizations due to legal status area in which the city is located.

In August 2010, 36 Israeli theater artists signed a letter in which they refused on principle to perform in the planned tour of Israeli theaters in the new cultural hall in Ariel due to the fact that the city is located in the occupied territories.

After the “storm caused by the letter”, five of the signatories withdrew their signatures, accusing the organizers of “not being made aware of the goals and content of the call to boycott Ariel”, and two of them declared that they had nothing to do with this letter and their last names were used without their consent.

Later, the letter was supported by about 150 Israeli scientists, who also refused to give lectures in settlements in the territories occupied by Israel. On August 30, a demonstration was held in support of the boycott of Ariel with the participation of deputies from the Meretz and Hadash parties, the general secretary of the Shalom Ahshav movement Yariv Oppenheimer, writer Yehoshua Sobol and others. Newsru.co.il called this action an "ultra-left march".

The Prime Minister strongly opposed the letter, saying that “those who boycott Ariel will not receive funding” from the state, and the Minister of Culture and Sports Limor Livnat, “who also condemned the actors, said that at present the list of performances in the new Palace of Culture in Ariel has remained unchanged” .

The mayor of the city, Ron Nachman, "accused the actors of duplicity, and also suggested that they engage in politics in the Knesset, and not in the theater."

40 members of the Knesset signed an initiative, according to which "the disruption of the performance due to the boycott will entail the termination of state funding for this theater." Economic observer Yehuda Sharoni, in an interview with Kol Israel radio station, emphasized that those who supported the letter "by their actions cause great damage to Israel, which is forced to constantly fight against boycotts."

With a sharp condemnation of the boycott, the Legal Forum in Defense of Eretz-Israel issued. Volunteer activists also organized a motor rally under the mottos “Ariel is Israel” and “Artists are boycotting - the caravan is moving”, from the center of Israel to Ariel in order to support the Ariel people and to protest against the boycott.

Photo gallery

Population: 20 thousand (2013)

Postcode: 40700

Telephone code: +972 3

Time: UTC+2

Helpful information

Ariel in the Hebrew Bible is one of the names of Jerusalem and (Is. 29:1-8).

In July 2009, the city council approved the mayor's proposal to name the city after former Prime Minister Ariel Sharon. The final decision was ultimately made by the Israeli government's Names Committee.

Location

Ariel is located at an altitude of 570-730 m above sea level. urban area, administered by the municipality, about 1200 ha, is only partly developed.

Ariel is about half an hour away from the (highway 5).

Population

Population - 17.7 thousand people (2010). A significant part of the population of the city is made up of immigrants from the former Soviet Union. Ariel is the unspoken capital of Israeli settlements in Samaria.

The city is famous for its pleasant cool climate, greenery and clean air. Ariel has a well-developed education system from kindergartens to the Judea and Samaria Academic Center (former college), known throughout Israel. In July 2012, it was granted university status.

Quotes

"We are committed to national principles and ... do not accept settlements such as Ma'ale Adumim, Gush Etzion and Ariel."

Mahmoud Abbas, 2004

"... I want to make it clear that the Ariel bloc is an inalienable part of Israel under any circumstances ... Ariel is Israel."

“You, the inhabitants of Ariel, personify the most precious thing for us, you not only inhabit a part of the land in the very heart of Israel, you live in the mountains of Samaria, which belongs to us all, you represent the people of Israel, its cut, and your residence here serves the purposes of security and ideology."

Ariel is one of the youngest cities in Israel. It is located in the center of Samaria at an altitude of 600 meters above sea level. In August 1978, in a deserted wasteland dotted with huge stone boulders, 2-3 room concrete houses were hastily installed, next to the future Hotse-Shomron Highway (No. 5 (55)), halfway between the sea and the Jordanian border. They housed the first 40 families, they were representatives of the initiative group Tel Aviv Core (Garin Tel Aviv). The future mayor of the city of Ariel, Ron Nachman, was also part of this group.

Ariel became one of the last settlements in the company deployed by the Bloc of Believers (Gush Emunim) movement. Gush Emunim is an extra-parliamentary religious-national movement founded in February 1974 by Hanan Parat and Rav Moshe Levinger. The movement considered its main task to be the settlement of the regions of Samaria, Judea and Gaza. At the same time, they categorically objected to the expulsion of Arabs from these territories. Their aim was peaceful coexistence.

City location:
Ariel is located in the heart of Israel, 40 km (25 miles) east of Tel Aviv, 40 km west of the Jordan River and 60 km north of Jerusalem. The city stretches 12 km (8 miles) in length and is over 600 meters (almost 2000 feet) above sea level. The inhabitants of Ariel breathe dry and clean air.

How to get to Ariel:
By car:
Ariel is on Highway 5 from Tel Aviv east through the center of the country.

By public transport:
Dan buses 186 and 286 routes between Tel Aviv and Ariel.
Bus timetables can be found at

The bus schedule can be found at

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Ariel is one of the synonyms for the concepts of hero and hero. This is how Jerusalem and its Temple were called in the Tanakh. The Midrash believes that this name means a big lion or God's lion, because. The Jerusalem temple resembled a recumbent lion, wide in front and narrow in back. By the way, even today the image of a lion flaunts on the coat of arms of Jerusalem.

During the 25 years of its existence, Ariel has grown to a city of 18,000 inhabitants. Ariel is the third city in the country in terms of the number of repatriates from countries living in it South Africa, USA, Canada, Argentina. 40% of the city's residents are repatriates from the republics of the former Soviet Union.

In 1986, the amuta (public association) Ariel Development Fund was established to promote the construction and development projects of the city. Amuta was created with the aim of finding new sources of funding and donations from Jews living abroad. In 1992, Amuta's activities expanded and a branch was established in Florida (USA). Two local Jews, Harry Fozin and Michael Greenberg, created the Society of Friends of Ariel in America and began to exercise general leadership. It should be noted that the fund's donors are not only American Jews, but also Christians and atheists.

Ariel's housing stock consists of apartment buildings, apartments with front gardens, cottages, two-family houses, and villas. Residents of Ariel, as a city of development, have benefits for receiving increased loans. For young families and families of new repatriates, special conditions have been created for the purchase of housing. But the leadership of the city is already hatching new strategic plans, having determined the development of the city in three directions - adolescents and youth; science and technology; education; dreaming of turning Ariel into a city of 100,000 inhabitants.

Ariel attracts new residents Not only fresh air And mountain climate, (almost every winter it snows here!), but also the cost of housing. Here, housing prices are one and a half times lower than in the rest of Gush Dan (Greater Tel Aviv), from which Ariel is relatively close, which enables its residents to use all the advantages of the metropolis.

Ariel is a member of the international association of so-called Smart Cities. This project is directed to the future, it will create economic and social dynamics. Various databases, virtual shopping centers, medical services at a distance, remote work. This project will link educational establishments Ariel over the Internet with best universities world, education of any level will become possible.

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The Middle Eastern Jordan River, known to the whole world, at least according to biblical texts, has become natural boundary separating Jordanian Kingdom and the State of Israel. The western bank of the river in the late 1940s, during the Arab-Israeli war, turned into disputed territory, and there is still ongoing debate between Israelis and Palestinian Arabs over its ownership.

Here on this shore, in Samaria - the historical Israeli region, in 1978 the city of Ariel arose, today it has become largest center the Judeo-Samarian district of the country.

City name

The name of the settlement was not chosen by chance, it has a very deep inner meaning: this is one of the alternative names for the holy city of Jerusalem for the Jews, which is mentioned in the Holy Scriptures of Judaism (Tanakh).

But, in addition, Ariel is also a human name, quite common in Israel. In particular, that was the name of the Israeli Prime Minister of 2001-2006, statesman, military and political figure Arik (or Ariel) Sharon. The city council in 2009 raised the issue that the locality would perpetuate the memory of Sharon, bearing his name. However, taking into account the opinion of the relatives of the former leader of the country, the government commission, which is in charge of the right to assign names to Israeli settlements, rejected this decision in 2010.

City location

The city of Ariel in Israel is located in the very center of the Samaria region and is elevated above the world ocean level to a height of 570-730 meters. Geographically, the city is removed:

From Jerusalem 36 kilometers,

From Petah Tikva for 27 kilometers,

From Tel Aviv 37 kilometers.

Closest to him, at 15 kilometer distance, is the ancient Samaritan city of Shechem, which belonged to the country of Canaan in the past. Near the city of Ariel is the intersection of one of the main Israeli roads - the Trans-Samaria Highway (or Highway No. 5). The trip along this road to Tel Aviv takes about half an hour.

The area of ​​the entire urban area is approximately 1200 hectares, but at the moment it is not yet completely built up.

Being in hilly terrain, teeming with green spaces, the city is characterized by clean air and a cool microclimate. Those who are not accustomed to the heat and endure it hard, will find the weather in Ariel sparing and pleasant even in hot summers. Last January, 2013, winter pleased the townspeople with real snow! For some time, snow covered the lawns and parked cars in a fairly thick layer, lying on tree branches and lanterns. Many photographed a rare phenomenon in these parts, because “cool” in Israel does not mean a frosty and snowy winter! Until now, on the Internet, you can see the "snowy Ariel" filmed on video, the videos are very popular.

Founding history

Yakov Faitelson, a former Soviet citizen of Lithuanian origin, a demographic researcher and public figure, led a group of Israelis in 1978 who decided to create a new residential area in the northern hilly part of Samaria.

Location options

The initiators turned to the Israeli government with an official request and a request to allocate them for the planned construction appropriate place. Enthusiasts were offered three options:

Hill near the town of Kifl-Hares;

The area, subsequently chosen for the village of Kfar-Tapuah;

The area near the "lonely tree", where the village of Barkan was later built.

Future settlers preferred the first option, and on a hill called "Jabel Mawat", which is Arabic means "Hill of Death" (the local neighborhood seemed so inhospitable to the local Arabs), the new city of Ariel began to grow in Israel.

The founding group also liked the location from an advantageous strategic point of view: the city was in the path of the enemy during the invasion of Jordanian troops if the enemy moved towards Tel Aviv and into the center of the country. Thus, in spring days In 1978, the first tents appeared on the chosen hill, by August 4 dozen families had already settled here.

Difficulties of becoming

It is interesting that the inhabitants of the future Ariel community initially passed the qualification and psychological selection, because they had to endure the hardships of all stages of the formation of a new settlement: from the very first steps, when there were still no modern amenities and the infrastructure of the settlement was limited. During the initial period of the construction of Ariel, there were no electricity networks in the city and in general in this area: a diesel generator was used to generate electricity.

Water was brought to the village only periodically on tank trucks specially adapted for this purpose. Paved, convenient for transport communication There were no roads throughout the area.

Despite the difficulties, the tents were soon replaced by block prefabricated houses - for the hospital, school and housing. For the children of the village in the same 1978 year, on September 1, the first academic year opened.

The community grew, replenished with diverse groups of the population, and although Ariel, according to reviews, mostly retained an independent secular character, Orthodox Jews also appeared among the inhabitants. By the way, now there are 14 synagogues of various branches of Judaism in the city.

Situation today

Data from the Israel Bureau of Statistics for 2012 indicate an urban population of 18,176. A large percentage of the inhabitants, as in the southern town, are former citizens THE USSR. In proportion, just like, say, in or - the cities of the Northern District of Israel, the population of Ariel is quite homogeneous, a significant part of it is Jews.

The city is considered the unofficial capital of the Samaria settlements of the state, it houses the branches of all sickness funds and many government agencies, cultural events are held, service enterprises and large shopping centers operate. Almost 18 hectares are occupied by the industrial zone of the city, Arieli news constantly reports on the emergence of new jobs in electronics, metalworking, aircraft equipment, electronic computers or in high-tech companies.

Ariel University, which recently received university status, is Israel's largest scientific and educational institution. This university began in 1982 as a regional branch of the Bar-Ilan University, in the 2004-05 academic year it was already an independent college, and since 2012 it has officially been listed as a full-fledged university institution.

Ariel University cooperates with other universities in the world and international scientific organizations. Due to the fact that Ariel on the map of Israel is located on the so-called "territories", that is, disputed lands, about which even today there are debates between the State of Israel and the Palestinian Authority, both the university and its staff were subjected, and sometimes even continue to be subjected to boycott sanctions by the world and the Israeli public itself. Some educators and scientists are not ready to lecture in "dangerous areas", considering Ariel's "political weather" unacceptable for scientific studies.

The boycott also affected a number of Israeli cultural figures, who, for example, in August 2010 refused to take part in theatrical tours when performances were planned in the new Ariel Hall of Culture. But there are also speeches in support of the Arielians, protests against the boycott, speeches by volunteer activists who are convinced that this city is an integral part of Israel.

Looking at the idyllic photos of Ariel with charming white houses with red roofs, it's hard to believe that the town is the scene of serious political confrontations. The Ariels themselves hope that the situation will be resolved in the near future.

At the beginning of the semester of 2013, the Ariel prices for rented rooms and apartments, as well as for the purchase of residential property, almost doubled. The reason lies in the increased demand for housing from university students. If, for example, real estate in the north is much cheaper than in the center of Israel, then in Ariel, which lies on the map of the country closer to the central regions, the price parameters in some cases even reach their level in the Gush Dan agglomeration.

In the Samaritan settlement, recognized, like the satellite city of Haifa, as a city of development, intensive housing construction is taking place before our eyes.

The city's attractions

The Israeli authorities promise to soon equip Ariel with an airport, which will ensure the smooth delivery of travelers from all over the world here. The young city, of course, cannot boast, like a Western Galilean city, of 4,000 years of history and an impressive amount of ancient artifacts. And yet in the city and in the Ariel environs there are interesting sights that can interest curious tourists: orchid garden, stalactite caves, nature reserve….

And among these places is the Um-Safa nature reserve, which lies 15 kilometers south of the city. There are ancient graves in the reserve, the largest tree preserved in the Land of Israel grows, and the remains of an ancient water conduit lie. The site is also famous for the tomb of Sheikh Teim, which, according to archaeologists, may be the burial place of Joshua (or Yeshua bin Nun), the leader of the Jewish people who replaced Moses himself after his death.

To the north of the Samaritan town there is a village, which, as historians believe, stands where the biblical city of Timnat-Serakh once was. Here it makes sense to see 3 ancient tombs, which will be shown to you by the villagers themselves, who consider themselves descendants of the ancient Samaritans.

Defined by a mountainous area that has belonged to Israel since 1967 and is located on west bank Jordan river. Average Height this city above sea level is 645 m.

Unofficially, it is believed that Ariel is the capital of all the settlements of Samaria. The nearest cities of Israel to Ariel are and, and the nearest Jerusalem highways are Shechem and the Trans-Samaria Highway.

The peculiarity of Ariel's location is that its territory was occupied by Israel, who won the Six Day War. This unannexed territory, formerly Jordanian, is controlled by Israel, and the city is under the Israeli Citizens Army Administration.

The name Ariel was given to the city in memory of one of the interpretations of the name of Jerusalem, which is translated into Russian as "God's Lion".

Industry

On the western border of Ariel is a large, modern industrial area with more than 120 different industries. There is currently a project that aims to host an additional 200 acre industrial park - Ariel West. This territory will house 60 plants and factories, which should provide employment for hundreds of residents of Ariel and the region.

In the eastern part of Ariel, adjacent to the university, there is a center for technology initiatives. It is an R&D incubator that specializes in fields such as biotechnology, medicine, electronics, and biochemistry. Currently, the center is developing and implementing 30 research projects.

The western industrial zone of Ariel is the largest and youngest in Samaria. Here for half the price are offered large areas for the construction of industrial enterprises.

Passenger transport

The development city of Ariel does not have its own airport, however, the city's long-term plans include the design and construction air gate Samaria. It is expected that the daily throughput of the new airport will be at least 40 different flights.

By far the closest to Ariel Israeli airport is international Airport named after Ben Gurion in Tel Aviv.

Passenger transportation between Ariel and Tel Aviv or Jerusalem is carried out by railway or buses, as well as taxis. Buses run at 20-minute intervals, and their movement begins in the early morning. Ticket prices are determined by the distance between settlements.

Most fast view The transport for traveling from to Ariel is the train. By using the Israel High Speed ​​Rail, you can save a lot of time.

Leisure

The inhabitants of Ariel are adherents of a healthy lifestyle. Therefore, sports and leisure have always been one of the main priorities here. Ariel has five gyms, outdoor courts, a fitness center and a standard football field.

Ariel has football, basketball and volleyball teams, as well as one of the best gymnasts and dance teams in the country.

The Culture Center hosts music school classes, where hundreds of children and teenagers learn to play various instruments, study in the studio of dance and voice development, as well as choral singing. The center devotes its activities to children's and adolescent creativity, as well as adult leisure.

Despite the fact that Ariel is one of the youngest cities in Israel, tourists vacationing here will have the opportunity to get acquainted with a wide range of local attractions, such as, for example, ancient tombs, which are located in the Arab village of Kifl Harit, located north of cities.

Weekly, subject to favorable weather, this area leaves bus tour which anyone can join. Visiting ancient burial places is considered an honorable and sacred mission among the villagers and pilgrims.

Archaeological artifacts discovered in the vicinity of Ariel are also presented in the main museum unofficial capital Samaria.

nature reserve

IN nature reserve Ariel has created natural habitat conditions for representatives of the fauna. During specially designated hours, the administration of the reserve allows visitors to participate in the process of feeding pets.

For those who want to have fun, the reserve offers to spend time on exciting rides, as well as ride a rented bike along a winding track. In addition, roller skates and other sports equipment can be rented in the shop on the territory of the reserve, and in specially designated places you can enjoy the atmosphere of a picnic and relax in cozy gazebos.

Excursions around the city

Tours of the labyrinths are very popular. stalactite cave near Ariel. Entrance to the cave is allowed only with an experienced guide-instructor. The route inside the cave starts in a long corridor that connects several grottoes.

The height of the largest stalactite grotto is 4 m, and the length is 10 m. Not far from the grottoes there are Observation deck where you can admire great view Ariel and its environs.

shopping

Urban entertainment in Ariel is represented by shopping in shopping malls, as well as gourmet meals in restaurants and cafes, where variety traditional dishes Mediterranean cuisine is combined with European culinary delights.

Just like in other cities of Israel, Shabbat is observed in Ariel, so on Friday afternoon, trade and business life in the city ceases until the end of Saturday.

Entrance ticket to the high-tech costs 10 shekels per person, excluding promotions and discounts.

The structure includes two parts: a labyrinth gallery with a monument in the form of wings.

In order to find the city, just look at the most south point contour of the borders of this country.

Any journey becomes more interesting if it is accompanied by new discoveries, pleasant meetings and unforgettable impressions. If this is your first time traveling to unique country world like Israel, then, undoubtedly, a vacation in any of the selected cities will bring a lot of pleasant days. After all, all Israeli cities are located on the holy land, which millions of people consider it to be. And the opportunity to touch the earth, the mention of which takes place in the centuries-old biblical history, is one of the main reasons inviting tourists from all over the world. If you have already been guests of this interesting country, then you need to choose something new, for example, the city of Ariel in Israel. This is one of the youngest cities in the country; it arose in the very center of biblical Israel against the backdrop of beautiful low mountains, terraces and centuries-old olive trees.

To date, Ariel is called the capital of Samaria, as this town of Israel is located in the very center of Samaria, at an altitude of about 600 meters above sea level. It is famous for its clean air and mountain climate. Not only guests of the country come here, but also the people of Israel themselves, who want to take a break from the noisy bustle of their cities. When you arrive in the city of Ariel in Israel, you can find plenty of places to retreat due to the fact that the area allocated for the city is only partially built up.

Like any city, Ariel has its own history. Its history begins in 1978. During this period, a group of Israelites was organized, who decided to settle on one of the hills in the northern part of Samaria. The group has made a formal request to the government for permission to build a residential area. Three options were proposed: an area in the "lone tree" area (in given time here is the village of Barkan), the area that later became the village of Kfar-Tapuah and a hill located next to the area. Local Arabs called it "the hill of death", but despite this, the group chose this place for their construction. main reason the choice of location was its strategic location in the path of a possible invasion of the Jordanian troops.

After obtaining permission to build a city on the site of the future Ariel in Israel, tents were set up, where about forty families who underwent psychological selection lived. After all, not everyone could withstand the construction of a new village from scratch, without any amenities and lack of infrastructure. A little later, the tents were replaced by small block houses. As the settlement grew, other families continually joined the group. And in 1986, for the development of the city, the Ariel Development Fund public association was established. Its purpose was to find new sources of financing for the construction, as well as to collect donations from Jews from all over the world.

In 1998, Ariel of Israel received the status of a city, which was named after Jerusalem, one of whose names is Ariel (translated as "divine lion"). Most recently, after the onset of illness of Ariel Sharon, the well-known Prime Minister of Israel, his sons tried to persuade citizens to associate the name of the city with the name of their father, but this initiative was rejected (especially after the scandalous destruction of settlements in the Gaza Strip on the initiative of A. Sharon's "disengagement" ).

The city of Ariel is this typical bedroom town, without industry, and therefore with wonderful crystal clear air. The streets of the city are landscaped, have an asphalt surface. good quality with clear road markings and good night lighting. There is a bypass highway so that transit vehicles do not pass through residential areas. During the short period of its existence, the city has grown. Now its population is about 18,000, a significant part of which are immigrants from the former Soviet Union. Ariel is full of amazing atmosphere and not a single vacationer here remains indifferent.

Getting to the city is not a big deal, as Ariel is located just 40 kilometers from Tel Aviv. Every half an hour, and at peak hour every 20 minutes, a bus leaves from the Tel Aviv bus station, which will take you to Ariel in Israel within 1h.25 - 1h.40 minutes. The city has a convenient location, which allows, while relaxing in Ariel, to go to the most exciting excursions all over Israel, you can visit the Dead Sea. The most convenient route to the sea is through Jerusalem (the distance to which is 60 km), where a bus will take you within two hours. Buses to Jerusalem run every 1.5 hours, but in the morning and evening you can take an express train that will take you just 1 hour.

For those who don't like public transport and prefers to use a rental car, Ariel is very easy to get to. There is an excellent route from Tel Aviv to Rosh HaAnna, which will take no more than 30 minutes to travel. Route number 5 goes from Rosh-a-Anna, after driving along it in 15-20 minutes you will get to Ariel.

The city was built in modern architectural styles. There is no historical buildings. All facilities are ultra-modern and technically equipped, but this attracts tourists no less ancient buildings. The pride of Ariel in Israel is the "Academic College of Judea and Samaria", which has now received a different status and is called the "University Center of Judea and Samaria". Previously operated under the auspices of Bar-Ilan University. It was founded almost from the very beginning, in 1983, even before the status of the city was awarded. The college has approximately 6,000 students from all over Israel. Various conferences and congresses of scientists from all over Israel are regularly held here.

In the city of Ariel in Israel, there is only one, but quite a decent hotel with a swimming pool. There are also no problems with lunches - in Ariel there are several good restaurants and a cafeteria, all kinds of eateries that have a wide variety of cuisine. Of all the variety national cuisine the most popular are hummus, baked eggplant with meat and broth.

For lovers active rest, vacationers are provided with a wide range of excursions throughout Samaria. Resting in Ariel in Israel, you can visit many historical monuments and the holy places of Israel, for example, the "tomb of the forefathers", located in Hebron (you can get there only with special permission from the Israel Defense Forces). Here, according to legend, Abraham and his wife Sarah, as well as other personalities from the Old Testament, are buried. In the same area, you can visit the ruins of ancient historical cities described in the Holy Scriptures. In the Jemain area, you can see a village that has existed since biblical times. A huge number of historical buildings have also been preserved here. The main archaeological monument of this area is the altar located on the top of Mount Ebal. Many experts believe that this is an altar built by Joshua in the Promised Land after the 40-year wandering of the Jewish people in the desert.

For those who do not want to travel far outside the city, they work Cultural Center, several youth centers and a beautiful theater building with two halls where Israeli and Russian theater tours take place, and films are regularly shown (with subtitles in Hebrew). There is a football field, tennis courts and a modern Country Club (type of a sports center) with an indoor semi-Olympic swimming pool and a gym. There you can buy a monthly guest subscription. There are also open pool with a "paddling pool" for kids. There is an excellent library with a large Russian-language section and an Internet cafe.

Resting in the city of Ariel in Israel, you can always find something to your liking: play football, play a game of table tennis or just enjoy the silence and cleanliness of one of the olive orchards. I would like to note the fact that Ariel is a computerized city. Here you can order and pay for any service via the Internet, purchase any product, and you can pay for hotel accommodation via the Internet.

A trip to this town will be remembered forever: picturesque nature, purest Mountain air, a huge variety of cultural events and entertainment (just do not forget that most of events are held in Hebrew), high service, and most importantly, the hospitality of local residents. Mostly for cultural events locals go to Tel Aviv.

Despite the fact that many people like to relax in the summer, and some prefer to go to Israel during the April holidays, a trip to Ariel will be pleasant at any time of the year due to the subtropical climate of this Israeli region.