Rothberg Estimates Israel Bond Proceeds for 1970 Will Exceed $200 Million

The 1970 Israel Bond campaign “is almost definitely assured of winding up with an over-all total in excess of $200 million.” it was predicted last night by Sam Rothberg, national campaign chairman of the Israel Bond Organization, at the Chanukah Festival for Israel in Madison Square Garden. Speaking before a capacity audience of 20,000 supporters of Israel, Rothberg said that, “You can be proud of this fact and you can be proud of the historic achievement of the Israel Bond campaign in the last twenty years, during which we provided $1.6 billion to build up the economy of Israel.” Max Abrams, campaign chairman of the Greater New York Committee for State of Israel Bonds, sponsors of the Chanukah Festival last night, reported that with two weeks still remaining in 1970, Israel Bond sales in New York “have reached the figure of $40,510,750 since January 1st. This Is an increase of approximately 25 percent over the entire year of 1969.”

Rothberg stressed to the audience that heard and watched outstanding Israeli and American artists of the entertainment world that “several months ago world Jewish leaders were asked to come to Jerusalem by Prime Minister Golda Meir for an emergency meeting. We were asked to make a promise in Jerusalem. That promise was to accept the responsibility of providing Israel with the sum of $1 billion in 1971. This means $400 million from the United Jewish Appeal in the United States; $200 million from other parts of the world; and $400 million from the sale of Israel Bonds.” In the course of the past two decades, Rothberg said, “Israel has kept every promise it made to the Jewish people. We must keep our promise to keep Israel free so that a real peace can be achieved in the Middle East.”