Not Just A Bond: A Bond With Israel
Encyclopedia
Not Just A Bond: A Bond With Israel, published October 18, 2010 by Talpiot Press, is a historical account of the founding, growth and expansion of the Development Corporation for Israel/State of Israel Bonds
operation, which today is a global enterprise with cumulative worldwide sales exceeding $32.4 billion.
In his foreword to the book, President Shimon Peres
calls the creation of Israel Bonds “a vital chapter in Israel’s history.”
at Jerusalem’s King David Hotel
. At the time, write the Strobers, there was considerable skepticism regarding the viability of creating an organization to facilitate the sale of Israeli government-issued bonds, noting that “terrible arguments” took place before agreement was ultimately reached.
The book explores the early stages and subsequent growth of the Bonds campaign, detailing how it expanded across the United States
and into Canada
, Latin America
and Europe
. It also examines non-Jewish sources of support such as organized labor
and states and municipalities, which collectively have invested hundreds of millions of dollars in Israel bonds.
, Yitzhak Rabin
, Menachem Begin
and Shimon Peres, while Harry Truman, Eleanor Roosevelt
and Albert Einstein
are among the well-known Americans shown lending support to the Bonds effort in the U.S.
Not Just A Bond: A Bond With Israel highlights the many entertainment luminaries who made appearances on behalf of Israel Bonds. The list encompasses a who’s who of singers, actors and comedians: Frank Sinatra
, Tony Bennett
, Sammy Davis, Jr.
, Gene Kelly
, Elizabeth Taylor
, Edward G. Robinson
, Milton Berle
and Jerry Lewis
and many more.
Also discussed are the many members of the American Jewish community who played an indispensable role in ensuring the success of the new enterprise, together with subsequent generations who built on the organization’s achievements. Prominently featured is Sam Rothberg a legendary leader of the Jewish community who, the Strobers note, was “a titan of Israel Bonds.”
study: “Israel Bonds is unique to the State of Israel, and no other country has a similar organization. During years when the Israeli government had difficulty borrowing large amounts of money abroad, Israel Bonds proved itself as an organization that reacts rapidly to an increase in the government’s foreign exchange requirements.”
State of Israel Bonds
State of Israel Bonds are debt securities issued by the Government of Israel.State of Israel Bonds is also the more familiar name of the underwriter of the bonds in the United States. The company is officially known as Development Corporation for Israel...
operation, which today is a global enterprise with cumulative worldwide sales exceeding $32.4 billion.
In his foreword to the book, President Shimon Peres
Shimon Peres
GCMG is the ninth President of the State of Israel. Peres served twice as the eighth Prime Minister of Israel and once as Interim Prime Minister, and has been a member of 12 cabinets in a political career spanning over 66 years...
calls the creation of Israel Bonds “a vital chapter in Israel’s history.”
Authors
The book, commemorating the 60th anniversary of the founding of Israel Bonds, was authored by husband and wife writing team Deborah and Gerald Strober. The Strobers, who have collaborated on nine previous occasions, conducted dozens of interviews in preparation for the book.Subject
Not Just A Bond: A Bond With Israel chronicles the development of the Bonds organization, starting with its uncertain beginnings at a September, 1950 conference convened by Prime Minister David Ben-GurionDavid Ben-Gurion
' was the first Prime Minister of Israel.Ben-Gurion's passion for Zionism, which began early in life, led him to become a major Zionist leader and Executive Head of the World Zionist Organization in 1946...
at Jerusalem’s King David Hotel
King David Hotel
The King David Hotel is a 5-star hotel in Jerusalem, Israel. Opened in 1931, the hotel was built with locally quarried pink limestone and was founded by Ezra Mosseri, a wealthy Egyptian Jewish Banker. To this day the hotel remains one of the most prominent and prestigious hotels in Israel, and...
. At the time, write the Strobers, there was considerable skepticism regarding the viability of creating an organization to facilitate the sale of Israeli government-issued bonds, noting that “terrible arguments” took place before agreement was ultimately reached.
The book explores the early stages and subsequent growth of the Bonds campaign, detailing how it expanded across the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
and into Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
, Latin America
Latin America
Latin America is a region of the Americas where Romance languages – particularly Spanish and Portuguese, and variably French – are primarily spoken. Latin America has an area of approximately 21,069,500 km² , almost 3.9% of the Earth's surface or 14.1% of its land surface area...
and Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
. It also examines non-Jewish sources of support such as organized labor
Labour movement
The term labour movement or labor movement is a broad term for the development of a collective organization of working people, to campaign in their own interest for better treatment from their employers and governments, in particular through the implementation of specific laws governing labour...
and states and municipalities, which collectively have invested hundreds of millions of dollars in Israel bonds.
Historic and Notable Personalities
Notable public figures who played a significant role in the development of Israel Bonds are featured throughout the book. Israelis include Ben-Gurion, Golda MeirGolda Meir
Golda Meir ; May 3, 1898 – December 8, 1978) was a teacher, kibbutznik and politician who became the fourth Prime Minister of the State of Israel....
, Yitzhak Rabin
Yitzhak Rabin
' was an Israeli politician, statesman and general. He was the fifth Prime Minister of Israel, serving two terms in office, 1974–77 and 1992 until his assassination in 1995....
, Menachem Begin
Menachem Begin
' was a politician, founder of Likud and the sixth Prime Minister of the State of Israel. Before independence, he was the leader of the Zionist militant group Irgun, the Revisionist breakaway from the larger Jewish paramilitary organization Haganah. He proclaimed a revolt, on 1 February 1944,...
and Shimon Peres, while Harry Truman, Eleanor Roosevelt
Eleanor Roosevelt
Anna Eleanor Roosevelt was the First Lady of the United States from 1933 to 1945. She supported the New Deal policies of her husband, distant cousin Franklin Delano Roosevelt, and became an advocate for civil rights. After her husband's death in 1945, Roosevelt continued to be an international...
and Albert Einstein
Albert Einstein
Albert Einstein was a German-born theoretical physicist who developed the theory of general relativity, effecting a revolution in physics. For this achievement, Einstein is often regarded as the father of modern physics and one of the most prolific intellects in human history...
are among the well-known Americans shown lending support to the Bonds effort in the U.S.
Not Just A Bond: A Bond With Israel highlights the many entertainment luminaries who made appearances on behalf of Israel Bonds. The list encompasses a who’s who of singers, actors and comedians: Frank Sinatra
Frank Sinatra
Francis Albert "Frank" Sinatra was an American singer and actor.Beginning his musical career in the swing era with Harry James and Tommy Dorsey, Sinatra became an unprecedentedly successful solo artist in the early to mid-1940s, after being signed to Columbia Records in 1943. Being the idol of the...
, Tony Bennett
Tony Bennett
Tony Bennett is an American singer of popular music, standards, show tunes, and jazz....
, Sammy Davis, Jr.
Sammy Davis, Jr.
Samuel George "Sammy" Davis Jr. was an American entertainer and was also known for his impersonations of actors and other celebrities....
, Gene Kelly
Gene Kelly
Eugene Curran "Gene" Kelly was an American dancer, actor, singer, film director and producer, and choreographer...
, Elizabeth Taylor
Elizabeth Taylor
Dame Elizabeth Rosemond "Liz" Taylor, DBE was a British-American actress. From her early years as a child star with MGM, she became one of the great screen actresses of Hollywood's Golden Age...
, Edward G. Robinson
Edward G. Robinson
Edward G. Robinson was a Romanian-born American actor. A popular star during Hollywood's Golden Age, he is best remembered for his roles as gangsters, such as Rico in his star-making film Little Caesar and as Rocco in Key Largo...
, Milton Berle
Milton Berle
Milton Berlinger , better known as Milton Berle, was an American comedian and actor. As the manic host of NBC's Texaco Star Theater , in 1948 he was the first major star of U.S. television and as such became known as Uncle Miltie and Mr...
and Jerry Lewis
Jerry Lewis
Jerry Lewis is an American comedian, actor, singer, film producer, screenwriter and film director. He is best known for his slapstick humor in film, television, stage and radio. He was originally paired up with Dean Martin in 1946, forming the famed comedy team of Martin and Lewis...
and many more.
Also discussed are the many members of the American Jewish community who played an indispensable role in ensuring the success of the new enterprise, together with subsequent generations who built on the organization’s achievements. Prominently featured is Sam Rothberg a legendary leader of the Jewish community who, the Strobers note, was “a titan of Israel Bonds.”
Acclaim for the Bonds Organization
The book states that the Bonds organization has been widely acclaimed for cost-effectiveness and dependability. In particular, it cites a Bank of IsraelBank of Israel
The Bank of Israel is the central bank of Israel. It is located in Kiryat HaMemshala in Israel's capital city of Jerusalem, with a branch office in Tel Aviv. The current governor is Stanley Fischer.-History:...
study: “Israel Bonds is unique to the State of Israel, and no other country has a similar organization. During years when the Israeli government had difficulty borrowing large amounts of money abroad, Israel Bonds proved itself as an organization that reacts rapidly to an increase in the government’s foreign exchange requirements.”