2014 / 5775 Israel Bonds Canada High Holy Day Campaign Resource Manual


Talking points

Each item below can be used as a starting point for composing remarks, be inserted whole or part into remarks, or as stand-alone comments.

For many years, at this time of the year, someone who cares passionately about the State of Israel has stood in their synagogue and made a plea for all those assembled to invest in Israel Bonds.

Let us be clear on what is being asked:

We are asking people to adjust their investment portfolios to include Israel Bonds as a larger part of the total. The call to invest in Israel Bonds is a call to invest in our values, to invest in our people, to invest in the only Jewish State in the world.

WHY INVEST IN ISRAEL BONDS AT THIS TIME OF THE YEAR?

IT IS OUR PRIVILEGE AND OUR DUTY TO ENGAGE IN THE MITZVAH OF “BINYAN HA’ARETZ.”

The first Chief Rabbi of the State of Israel, Rabbi Herzog, wrote in 1951 that the act of investing in Israel Bonds during the most Holy Days of the Jewish year is part of the fulfillment of the mitzvah of building the Land of Israel.”

The first Sephardic Chief Rabbi, Rabbi Oziel, stated that it is a mitzvah to purchase Israel Bonds on Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur in order to fulfill the commandment of settling in Israel.

Many Rabbis from all denominations, over the years, have echoed these thoughts.

We are all concerned that the High Holy Day services be meaningful, focused, spiritual, and Holy. As such, some have voiced concern about having an Israel Bonds focus on Yom Kippur evening at Kol Nidray, or in the morning prior to Yizkor.

Rabbi Reuven Bulka has written that it is most appropriate to focus on Israel during Yom Kippur, and on what Israel means to us individually and collectively; and how much our connectedness to Israel enhances our Jewishness. Israel Bonds affords us the opportunity to partner with Israel, to help Israel, and to provide safe haven for Jews from everywhere.

On Yom Kippur, he stated, when we are called to Holy action, there can hardly be a more sacred expression than to actively express our love of Israel and support of it, even if it be via the mention of investments. By investing in Israel, we sanctify that money, ennobling what otherwise would be mundane.

To spend Yom Kippur praying is obviously necessary, but not sufficient. Authentic prayer must lead to meaningful action. This is a most potent combination, which Israel Bonds affords us the opportunity to actualize.

Far from being a compromise of High Holy Day decorum, he concluded, having an Israel Bonds focus is precisely what we need on Yom Kippur or Rosh Hashanah.

"To be a free people, in our own land" has long been our hope. Every Jew has a right to emigrate to Israel, to live in Israel and to visit Israel for lengthy periods of time. Israel is our home. All homes require ongoing investments.

The dream of a Jewish homeland has been fulfilled, but that dream requires our continuous investment support.

The State of Israel is still growing, still being created. Be part of fulfilling the dream. Invest in it.

AN INVESTMENT - NOT A DONATION.

ISRAEL BONDS ARE NOT PART OF YOUR CHARITABLE ALLOCATION.

The money that you invest in Israel Bonds is investment money..t does not come from your charitable allotment. It is money that should be invested at times when you have it available for any good investment.

Many of us have been approached by a wide range of charities to make donations over the course of this summer, with the crisis in Israel foremost in our thoughts. Please do give generously to charities, such as UJA, JNF, and all other Israeli-based charities and causes you support. Give and give more whenever and wherever you can.

AS ISRAEL CONTINUES TO FIGHT FOR THE SAFETY OF ITS CITIZENS, NOW IS THE TIME TO ALSO HELP ISRAEL WITH YOUR MUCH-NEEDED INVESTMENT DOLLARS.

Israel Bonds do not compete with any form of Jewish tzedakah, or any synagogue capital campaigns for that matter. Israel Bonds do compete with GICs or Canada Savings Bonds.

Israel Bonds compete with investment instruments that you and your fellow congregants will be placing in RRSPs, TFSAs and regular investment portfolios. We will all be investing money this year, building our financial portfolios.

With Israel Bonds, every investment you make will be returned to you in full and on time, with interest income paid to you, after 2, 3, 5 or ten years; depending on the investment you choose.

Take this opportunity to make a good return on your money while also doing the right thing.

If we believe in Israel, we must invest in Israel Bonds because it is a solid investment in the only Jewish State in the world.

If we believe in Israel, we must invest in Israel Bonds because it is the financially and morally right thing to do.

Believe it; every investment in Israel Bonds is met with the appreciation of the State of Israel.

Every bond makes a crucial difference.

PURELY FINANCIAL REASONS FOR INVESTING IN AN ISRAEL BOND:

INSTITUTIONAL BUYERS WITH THE STRICTEST FIDUCIARY REQUIREMENTS including banks and insurance companies invest in Israel Bonds. American municipal public employee pension funds and treasury funds, and major Canadian banks and pension funds are significant investors in Israel Bonds.

THE MIDDLE EAST IS THE MOST UNSTABLE, DANGEROUS, AND REPRESSIVE REGION IN THE WORLD.

Yet despite being one of the most open, democratic, tolerant, freedom-granting and rights-guaranteeing societies in the world Israel is the target of a relentless BDS (boycott, divest, sanction) campaign. Why boycott a nation that...

In so many ways, our investments in Israel Bonds help Israel to invent new life-saving, time-saving, water-purifying and food-producing inventions that make the world a cleaner, safer, healthier and better place.

LIFE-SAVING INFRASTRUCTURE

The new, growing threat to over 80% of Israel’s population, in the form of long and medium range missiles and deadly mortars, requires a major expenditure to reinforce buildings.

Israel is investing many hundreds of millions of dollars in life-saving infrastructure to protect hospitals, schools, playgrounds, shopping malls, synagogues and other public & private buildings.

ISRAEL’S ECONOMIC RESILIENCE IS BUILT ON THREE PILLARS:

AN ISRAEL BONDS INVESTMENT DECLARES YOUR APPRECIATION FOR “BRAND ISRAEL.”

i.e. the ideals and values of the State of Israel – democracy, pluralism, tolerance, citizen-safety, and putting human creativity and ingenuity to work to make the world a better place.

Israel Bonds are ethical investments. An Israel Bonds High Holy Day investment is important for any Jew, and any investor, who takes a values-based approach to financial matters.

Many years ago, the ISRAEL BONDS TAB CARD COLLECTION BOXES were designed to resemble a voting ballot box.

Why? The answer is clear. During the early years of the campaign, investing in a State of Israel Bond was considered to be a moral vote for the State of Israel, a declaration that Israel and its people had a right to live in peace and safety.

No less so today and many are saying, “Even more!”

In a world that is increasingly hostile to Israel and Jews in many countries, the moral and ethical dimension of investing in Israel is a powerful statement we can all make.   As we approach 5775 on our calendar, investing in a State of Israel Bond is once again a clear “vote” for the State of Israel.

We must continue to invest in Israel Bonds and declare our vote for Israel, to express our unity in the face of tireless forces that are working to isolate and condemn the people of Israel.

Our investments in Israel Bonds declare our vote that says, “Israel’s values are MY values.”

Our investments in Israel Bonds are a powerful way to do the right thing despite misguided world opinion.

THE ISRAELI FINANCE MINISTRY’S CURRENT ECONOMIC BLUEPRINT FOR THE ISRAELI ECONOMY establishes that a portion of Israel’s long-term debt in any given year be held in Israel Bonds. Advantages for Israel include:



Should you have any questions or would like guidance on enhancing your campaign, please contact:

Elan Levitan
VP Marketing
416.789.3351 ext. 125
elevitan@israelbonds.ca



Rates on most Israel Bonds change twice each month. See current rates


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