In 1999 the city of Nazareth was experiencing socio-religious tension which affected daily life among all its residents. As the foundation of unity began to shake, several Nazarenes living in Los Angeles contacted each other to express their concern about the situation in their homeland. A phone call between Dr. Nabil Khoury and Dr. Nabil Azzam set the tone for a meeting that resulted in the establishment of the present-day non-profit organization, Arab-American Friends of Nazareth (AAFN). Once the organization was created, the board immediately began to write letters to the mayor of Nazareth calling for an end to the turmoil and a return to unity and harmony amongst its brothers and sisters. These demands were endorsed and supported by Nazarenes across the nation. Hailed by the residents of Nazareth, the letters were widely distributed. Locally, AAFN has set its goals to act as an organization that extends its help not only to Nazareth, the jewel of cities, but also to the surroundin