Israel Bond Sales at $332.957 Million for First Eight Months of 1986

State of Israel Bond sales in 1986 totaled $332,957,000. This represented a $51-million increase over the same eight-month period last year and $110-million over the similar period in 1984. These figures were announced at the Israel Bond Organization’s annual National Leadership Conference at the Hyatt-Regency Hotel here.

The announcement, made by David Hermelin, the organization’s International Campaign chairman, was based on the 1986 annual campaign report which was delivered at the opening session last Thursday. Brig. Gen. (Res.) Yehudah Halevy, president and chief executive officer of Israel Bonds, to the 300 Jewish leaders from 48 communities in the United States and Canada attending the four-day conference.

Hermelin attributed the increases of the past two years to a number of factors, including “confidence in Israel’s economic recovery, the national unity government’s control of inflation and the sacrifices of the people of Israel who willingly accepted an austerity program.”

Israel Bond subscriptions thus far this year, the best January-August achievement in the 35-year history of the Bond Organization, has brought to nearly $8-billion the loan funds mobilized for Israel’s economy by the Bond campaign since its inception in 1951. More than $4.5-billion has been repaid by the government of Israel to holders of matured bonds.

Israeli Premier Shimon Peres, in a cable to the Leadership Conference, said that “we have succeeded in stabilizing our economy, thanks primarily to the sacrifices of the people of Israel. We have achieved important progress in our continuing efforts for peace during our recent negotiations with Egypt, in my meetings in Morocco with King Hassan and in the restoration of diplomatic relations with a number of African nations.”

Israeli Deputy Premier and Foreign Minister Yitzhak Shamir, in his message to the delegates, asserted that Israel’s “objective of achieving economic independence depends in part on the continued and growing support of the Jewish people and all friends of Israel.”

President Chaim Herzog of Israel, in his cable, said: “It is particularly gratifying for me to note the success of your program to broaden support for Israel and our economic development, including the enlistment of substantial support from the non-Jewish community.”

CLARIFICATION The memorial service for the Jews slain in the Istanbul synagogue, held September 9 in New York, was organized by the Jewish Community Relations Council of New York as well as the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations, not by the Presidents Conference solely, as reported in the September 10 Bulletin.