Mission


Atlanta City Hall Signing Ceremony Mission to Ra'anana, May 11 - 17, 2001 Sister Cities International requires each of the two cities involved in a twinning to travel to the other's location and engage in signing ceremonies. The Mayors, or officials designated to represent City Hall, jointly sign a proclamation to promote a special relationship..
The Atlanta - Ra'anana (Israel) Sister City Committee was formed on March 20, 1999, created on Nov. 9, 1999 by the Atlanta Sister City Commission (ASCC), and approved by the Atlanta City Council on Jan. 18, 2000 as Atlanta's 18th sister city. From May11-16, 2000, the Atlanta Mayoral Signing Mission traveled to Ra'anana to complete the first stage of the ceremonial signing process.	The mission delegation included Councilwoman Cleta Winslow and Director of Marketing Sheila Jack who were appointed by Mayor Bill Campbell to represent Atlanta City Hall. Arnold Heller, ARSCC Chair, and member Joyce Kushner who lived in Ra'anana for ten years, represented the Committee.
The mission was involved in planning sessions with the Mayor and municipal government officials, and surveyed Ra'anana's public facilities such as the new Aviv Senior High School, the nearly completed Ra'anana Park Amphitheater and the Lev Ha'Park. Mixing business with pleasure, the delegation sipped outstanding Israeli wines in a tasting at the upscale enclosed Ra'anana Mall. At the Ra'anana Cultural Center, Cleta Winslow and Arnold Heller placed a wreath at the Memorial Statue dedicated to the Israeli war dead. A guided tour depicting Ra'anana's growth from a settlement in 1922 by American Jews from New York was described in the Founders Room. A quick tour of Kiryat Etgarim, Ra'anana's high tech business park followed luncheon at Beit Izi Shapira, a world class school for handicapped children at which means of cooperation were explored. The mission experienced Ra'anana's close community spirit through attendance at the Ostrovsky High Girls Volleyball Team victory that secured the Israeli championship. Mayor Bielski is a great believer in developing impressive sports facilities and winning athletic teams. The mission conducted four (4) main sessions of business. 1. Monday, May 14: Evening reception - Councilwoman Cleta Winslow and Mayor Zeev Bielski jointly signed the agreement to form a sister city relationship. The Councilwoman recalled the message of Dr. Martin Luther King and claimed that the twinning reflected Dr. King's spirit. Mayor Bielski presented the Councilwoman,Sheila Jack, Arnold Heller and Joyce Kushner with gifts and special medals, recognized Arnold Heller for building the Atlanta bridge to Ra'anana, announced that Bielski would lead a delegation to the SCI Convention to complete the signing process, and touted recent successes achieved by the Atlanta - Israel Chamber of Commerce to expand hi-tech trade between Atlanta and Ra'anana. The festive reception with entertainment provided by elementary, middle and secondary level dance and song groups produced a spirit of friendship and good will between the two cities. 2. Sunday, May 13: The mission met with the Ra'anana Symphonette Orchestra Director Orit Fogel to discuss total costs and fundraising sources for the proposed performance before the SCI Convention July 25 - 28, 2001. 3. Tuesday, May 15: Arnold Heller met with Ostrovsky H. S. Principal Nahum Hofri, Business Education instructor Miki Lieber, and Lydia Weitzman. The IBP of North Atlanta H. S. contributed e-commerce instructional software to Ostrovsky High's Young Entrepreneurs Program and Ostrotech (student run company). The software included 2 CD's, one produced by iXL Enterprises that teaches the 3 generations of Internet and e-commerce development, and CatGens, produced for Super-Exchange V by the Global Catalyst Foundation - students set up their own e-commerce company by following the software's prompts and inputting company data and product pictures. Dec.10 - 20, 2000 was scheduled for an Ostrovsky H. S. student exchange delegation to visit North Atlanta. Ostrovsky will also plan to attend Super-ExchangeVI in Montego Bay, Jamaica. 4. Tuesday, April 15: The mission and Ra'anana municipal representatives met over lunch to discuss ways and means of future cooperation. The committees agreed to focus in the short term on "doable" joint projects: (a) Sending an Atlanta Police Department specialist to instruct the national police force assigned to Ra'anana in the concept of community policing operations, (b) Exchange of fire fighting teams to study innovative technologies and methodologies, (c) Sharing of approaches towards reducing juvenile delinquency; (d) Atlanta Historical Society and M. L. King Center reception of a team from the Ra'anana Cultural Center to increase expertise in the presentation of historical materials, and the setting up of interactive exhibitions, (e) Exchanges of local special education teachers with Beit Issi Shapira, and media specialists with Ra'anana's public schools.

The Atlanta - Ra'anana Committee thanks Mayor Bill Campbell and the City of Atlanta for the great support provided to the Ra'anana Signing Ceremony Mission. The Committee looks forward to receiving Mayor Bielski's reciprocal signing mission to Atlanta and the SCI Convention July 25 - 28, 2001.