A rec-ord-breaking $4.2 million in Israel Bonds was purchased at a dinner last night honoring Danny Kaye at the Palm Beach Towers. The event was attended by 300 permanent and winter residents of this resort city. This was the second phase of the inauguration of the 1973 campaign for the world wide sale of $360 million in Israel Bonds this year.
The initial start of the campaign took place last week in Miami at the International inaugural Conference with the participation of Premier Golda Meir, which brought in Bond sales totaling $136.3 million. In addition to paying tribute to Kaye, the dinner launched the 1978-Israel Bond campaign here in celebration of Israel’s 25th anniversary.
Yosef Tekoah, Israel’s Ambassador to the United Nations. was a principal speaker. He stressed the historic opportunity which Jews throughout the free world have in helping Jews from the Soviet Union settle in Israel. The Ambassador said that Israel Bonds provide the financial sinews to strengthen every facet of Israel’s economy, so that her newcomers may be integrated swiftly into the country’s mainstream of life. Tekoah presented Kaye with a silver Prime Minister’s Medal, “in recognition of his splendid talent which he has used as an instrument for the promotion of vital humanitarian and cultural programs at home and abroad and who has given expression to his concern for the fate of his people and his love of Israel.”
In acknowledging the award, Kaye told the assemblage that he was proud to be a Jew and that, if circumstances would permit, he would rather go to Israel than attend fund-raising events. Since his schedule did not allow for that as often as he liked, he added, he was happy to celebrate Israel’s silver anniversary through participation in the Israel Bond drive.
The Archive of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency includes articles published from 1923 to 2008. Archive stories reflect the journalistic standards and practices of the time they were published.
