Ron Nachman (1942-2013): A True Zionist Hero

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NUMBER OF DAYS UNTIL THE ISRAELI ELECTION: 4

ISRAELSTREET endorses NAFTALI BENNETT for Prime Minister

Head of “HaBayit HaYehudi” (The Jewish Home) political party

“We can’t have peace with the Palestinians. Enough. How long can we talk about this? We can only reach coexistence . . .”

UPDATES 6 pm Israel time Friday:

The final polls are out before the election, and they are no more elucidative than those published previously. Likud-Beiteinu is up and it’s down, Jewish Home is up and it’s down, Labor is up and it’s down . . . well you get the idea, dear reader. On Monday, israelstreet will publish its election predictions.

One interesting tidbit from all the polling published today came from the Dahaf poll which asked its respondents “What is the number one issue facing Israel today?” The two leading answers:

47% socioeconomic issues

18% peace with the Palestinians

If this is accurate, it suggests that many of the undecided voters may break toward Shelly Yachimovich’s Labor party between now and Tuesday, and that Likud Beiteinu may drop even more. That drop would not be because Israelis disagree with Netanyahu’s position on the Palestinians; it would simply be a result of the marginalization of the Palestinian issue in Israel altogether.

In this context, it is little wonder that Tzipi Livni’s announcement of a bold new peace plan has generated less interest in the Israeli public and media than the appearance of an Israeli singer on the TV show American Idol.

TODAY’S BLOG:

Ron Nachman in the early days of Ariel imagining what was to be (photo: American Friends of Ariel).

A Zionist Israeli patriot died today.

He was a man of extraordinary vision, energy, optimism, and tenacity.

On the occasion of his 70th birthday five months ago, the following appeared on the American Friends of Ariel website:

“In 1977, Mayor Ron Nachman was 35 years of age when he first set foot on the barren hilltop that would become the City of Ariel. For every day that he lived until that point, he has since lived another. The City of Ariel of Ariel now celebrates 35 years of success, and Mayor Ron Nachman celebrates 70 years of life. L’Chaim!

Ron Nachman epitomizes what it means to truly be alive. Every step along the way has been a milestone, every breath he breathes a new idea, every dream a reality.

Visitors in the early days recount the stories of Mayor Nachman standing atop rocks and boulders, pointing in the distance, saying “that will be a school… that will be a health clinic… that will be a gymnasium”. Skeptics would chuckle, political opponents would object, but none could prevent the inevitable. As time progressed, Ron’s ambitions advanced to the next stage: “that will be an industrial park… that will be a Sports and Recreation Complex… that will be a Center for the Performing Arts… that will be a university…”.

Everything Ron ever imagined came to pass. In a style all his own, marked by an internal drive that reaffirms and redefines the essence of the Zionist Enterprise, Ron built a city that boasts unmatched local services, regional hubs and national projects. The City of Ariel truly is a work of art.”

Part of the city of Ariel, population 20,000 in the center of Samaria--a vibrant testament to the efforts of Ron Nachman.

Your humble servant extends his sympathies today to Ron’s beloved wife Dorit, his four daughters, and to his grandchildren.  

We all know what Ron Nachman did for Israel. What have you done for Israel today? 

I suggest contributing to Ariel by clicking here.

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