Nathaniel S. Rothenberg, a New York attorney and Zionist leader who negotiated Israel’s first loans from foreign banks, died here last night at the age of 61. He was born in New York, educated at Lehigh University and New York University Law School and held a Doctorate in Law from Brooklyn Law School.
Mr. Rothenberg’s career spanned a wide field of activities in government, banking and law. As special counsel of the Treasury of Israel in 1949, he negotiated the first $15 million loan for Israel from American banks and later negotiated loans to Israel from banks in Switzerland and Sweden. He was credited with negotiation of a $5 million loan here in 1950 in anticipation of the first Israel Bond issue.
Mr. Rothenberg was a member of governing bodies of the United Jewish Appeal, a counsel and national secretary of the Jewish National Fund of America and was active in the American Zionist Federation. At the time of his death he served as counsel for Bnai Zion, the American Zionist fraternal order which he also served as president from 1956-59.
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