Israel Bonds

Event Highlighted by Presentation of United Jerusalem Medallions

View photo tribute to the honorees

The 2012 Israel Bonds sales effort was officially launched January 22 in Boca Raton, Florida in the presence of Israel Finance Minister Yuval Steinitz. Addressing an appreciative audience of over 650, the finance minister asserted, 'Israel is getting stronger and stronger,' adding, 'Investing in Israel bonds is very important to the people of Israel. It is an expression of friendship and commitment.'

In response to the finance minister, more than $225 million in Israel bond investments were announced.

The finance minister also praised new Bonds President & CEO Izzy Tapoohi, conveying his confidence that Tapoohi 'will bring Israel Bonds to new levels of achievement.'

In his own remarks, Tapoohi said the Bonds organization had exceeded its 2011 worldwide $1 billion goal, declaring, 'Israel Bonds is playing an important role in maintaining and furthering Israel’s economic potential.'

The evening was highlighted by the presentation of United Jerusalem Medallions – created in honor of the 45th anniversary of Jerusalem’s reunification – by Finance Minister Steinitz, President & CEO Izzy Tapoohi and Chairman of the Board Richard Hirsch.

Medallion recipients were: Sharen and Marc Berman, Chicago; Lynore and Harold Berzow, New York; Laraine and Lowell Fine, Atlanta; Emily and Dr. Fred Gurtman, Tampa Bay; Debra and Dr. Lawrence Halperin, Boca; Linda and Mel Jacobs, New Jersey; Helene and Barry Lewis, Rockland County; Ann and Nate Levine, Dallas; Manette and Louis Mayberg; Washington, DC; Louise and Andy Rubin, Philadelphia; Felice and Gerald Schwartz, Miami; Lisa and Gary Shiffman, Detroit; Toby and Carl Sloane, Boston; Rabbi Mitchell Wohlberg, Baltimore.

Top photo: United Jerusalem Medallion recipients with (center, L-R) Chairman of the Board Richard Hirsch, President & CEO Izzy Tapoohi and Finance Minister Yuval Steinitz.


Bonds President & CEO Izzy Tapoohi (left) greets Finance Minister Yuval Steinitz.


From left: President & CEO Izzy Tapoohi; Finance Minister Steinitz; Board Chairman Richard Hirsch.


National Chairman and evening emcee Fred Zeidman introduces National Campaign Cabinet Chairman Bobbie Goldstein for the start of the presentation ceremony.


Florida Department of Financial Services  CFO Jeff Atwater (L) apprises Finance Minister Steinitz of the state’s $15 million Israel bond investment.


Prime Minister’s Club Chairman Mike Lazar leads the audience in ha’motzi.


The finance minister (center) and his aides enjoy a light moment prior to the program.


Susan Weikers Balaban encourages Israel bond investments.



Board Chairman Richard Hirsch welcomes President and CEO Izzy Tapoohi.

All photos by Howard Zimmerman.

Finance Minister Steinitz expresses appreciation for Israel Bonds.

Israel Finance Minister Yuval Steinitz declared 'Israel is getting stronger and stronger' as he expressed appreciation for investments in Israel bonds.
The finance minister made his comments at the January 22 Prime Minister’s Club gala in Boca Raton, Florida, which inaugurated the 2012 Israel Bonds sales effort. He noted that ‘Investing in Israel bonds is very important to the people of Israel. It is an expression of friendship and commitment.’

Development Corporation for Israel (DCI)/Israel Bonds closed the books on 2011 by surpassing the achievements of 2010 with sales exceeding $634 million.

Worldwide sales – encompassing DCI, Canada-Israel Securities, Ltd. and Israel Bonds International (Europe and Latin America) – were over $1 billion. Both totals topped goals established by Israel’s Finance Ministry.

President & CEO Izzy Tapoohi said, 'We are extremely gratified by these results, which highlight the fact that Israel bonds are not only a tangible connection with Israel, but also a dependable asset during a time of continued market volatility.'

In addition to a year of exceptional sales, 2011 was also a transformative year for the Bonds organization. The most significant development was the ability to purchase Israel bonds online. The new e-commerce site, launched September 19, was an instant success, with sales of more than $5 million by year’s end.

Total worldwide sales since the first bonds were issued in 1951 are more than $33.4 billion.

Sigalit Siag, Israel’s consul and chief fiscal officer for the Western Hemisphere, praised the Bonds organization, calling it of 'special benefit' to Israel.

She said the Bonds organization has 'proven itself as a source of reliable funding,' adding the organization accounts for 26 percent of Israel’s overseas borrowing needs.

Siag noted that other benefits for Israel included borrowing flexibility, improved credit ratings and a diverse investor base.

Helene Herbstman, a prominent leader in Jewish organizations on both the national and local levels, is the new chair of the National Women’s Division. The Chicago native began her three-year term January 1.

In announcing the appointment, Israel Bonds President & CEO Izzy Tapoohi said, 'The Bonds organization has gained a wonderful asset in Helene Herbstman. We are fully confident she will be a proactive chair who will meet with outstanding success in achieving the Women’s Division goal of connecting investment-savvy women with Israel through investments in Israel bonds.'

Herbstman expressed 'excitement at being given the honor to lead the National Women's Division. I now have the opportunity to inspire others with my passion and love for Israel in the hope that together, we can continue to build a strong, vibrant Jewish nation.'

Herbstman considers herself a product of her parent’s values, encompassing a strong Jewish identity, organizational leadership and a dedicated work ethic. She first became involved with Israel Bonds through her husband Burt, a national Bonds leader in his own right, and she served three years as chair of the Chicago Women’s Division.

In addition, Herbstman serves on the Illinois board of AIPAC and has been active with Hadassah and the Jewish Federation. A strong believer in 'from generation to generation,' her children all hold leadership positions with Jewish organizations.

Israel (Izzy) Tapoohi, widely regarded as one of Israel’s most innovative and successful business executives, became president & CEO of Development Corporation for Israel/Israel Bonds on October 31.

Born in Israel and raised in Melbourne, Australia, Mr. Tapoohi was a Zionist activist in New South Wales and served as chairman of the local aliyah organization. In 1979, he immigrated with his family to Israel.

Mr. Tapoohi brings an outstanding level of experience to the Bonds organization. Highly regarded for his private sector expertise and insights, he served as a top executive for many of Israel’s most prominent companies, including chairman of the board of Africa-Israel Investments and executive chairman of the board of Bezeq, Israel’s telecommunications provider and largest corporation.

A proactive entrepreneur, Mr. Tapoohi was founder & CEO of InQSOFT, Ltd., which evaluated early-stage start-ups and provided recommendations to top-level international investors.

As president & CEO of Israel Bonds, Mr.Tapoohi said his agenda will be to “deliver a two-part message: Israel bonds are not only an important means of connecting with Israel, but also excellent additions to investment portfolios.”

Emphasizing this approach, Mr. Tapoohi said, “Every day in Israel brings forth new technological breakthroughs with extraordinary implications for the entire world. When people invest in Israel bonds, they instantly become partners in this ongoing success, while acquiring securities that make good business sense – a powerful and compelling motivation to buy Israel bonds.”

Senator Ben Cardin (D-MD) told delegates to the Israel Bonds National Leadership Conference that Congress looks at the results of the Bonds campaign 'as a significant means of gauging support for Israel (because) an investment in Israel bonds is a vote of confidence in the U.S.-Israel relationship.'

Several other Democratic, Republican and Independent senators addressed the group, including Orrin Hatch (R-UT), who declared, 'Israel bonds are a source of strength for Israel and a foundation for development.'

Israel Bonds President & CEO Izzy Tapoohi (left) with Senator Ben Cardin
(Photo: Ron Sachs)

On December 8, board member and former Israel Bonds national campaign chairman Susan Weikers Balaban and husband Donald Balaban hosted a reception to introduce new Bonds president & CEO Izzy Tapoohi to the leadership of the Philadelphia campaign.

At the reception, Mr. Tapoohi spoke on the growing impact of Israel bonds, noting they are “increasingly seen as a compelling investment by a wide variety of investors.”

Guest speaker at the event was Daniel Kutner, consul general for Israel, Mid-Atlantic region.

Pictured, from left: National Campaign Director Stuart Garawitz; President & CEO Izzy Tapoohi; Donald Balaban; Susan Weikers Balaban; Consul General Daniel Kutner; and Philadelphia General Chairman Glenn Segal.

The user-friendly e-commerce site, launched September 20, has made investing in Israel bonds straightforward and convenient, at any time and from any location.

First-time users will need to complete a simple registration procedure, entailing creating an online profile and opening a new Israel Bonds account or linking pre-existing accounts. Upon completion, and once the new account has been approved, site users will then be able to acquire Israel bonds at their convenience.

Almost all Israel bonds currently offered by the Development Corporation for Israel/Israel Bonds are available for purchase on the secure site. Purchases are expedited through electronic debiting of checking accounts.

For individuals buying Israel bonds as gifts, the site offers the option of including a message and/or generating a gift card.

Since being launched, Israel bonds purchased via the site have exceeded $5 million.

Israel Ambassador to the U.S. Michael Oren displays the Theodor Herzl commemorative sculpture, designed by Frank Meisler, presented to him during the Israel Bonds National Leadership Conference. Ambassador Oren, who hosted the conference delegates in his residence, said: 'Israelis can overcome uncertainty because we’ve never stood alone and because of the support of the Bonds organization. You’ve been the builders of the state, making us strong, enabling us to meet all challenges.'

Pictured L-R: Chairman of the Board Richard Hirsch; Ambassador Oren; Sally Oren; President & CEO Izzy Tapoohi.  (Photo: Ron Sachs)



Prime Minister's Club Chairman Mike Lazar (right) with former White House press secretary Ari Fleischer, who thanked Bonds leaders for 'the wonderful things you do for Eretz Yisrael.' (Photo: Ron Sachs)



New Leadership participants gather for a group photo with Ambassador Michael Oren. (Photo: Ron Sachs)



Marlene Kaplan and niece and nephew Marcy and Brad Mont display a Remembrance Citation of Honor presented in memory of Howard Kaplan (z"l), who passed away in June. The citation read in part: 'In memory of Howard Kaplan, legendary Israel Bonds leader of Chicago, respected, loved and revered for his devotion to the community and Israel.' The presentation was made at the residence of Ambassador and Mrs. Michael Oren.

From left: Bonds leader Ron Krongold; National Campaign Cabinet Chairman Bobbie Goldstein; Marlene Kaplan; Marcy and Brad Mont; and Israel Bonds Chief Financial Officer Neil Lieberman. (Photo: Ron Sachs)



Pulitzer Prize-winning columnist and commentator George Will addresses the leadership conference. Will said Israel 'embodied all the virtues of a free society,' and praised the nation as an 'example of strength and steadfastness.' (Photo: Ron Sachs)


Izzy Tapoohi (left) new Israel Bonds president & CEO, shares a light moment with Chairman of the Board Richard Hirsch at the opening session of the National Leadership Conference. (Photo: Ron Sachs)



Political analyst Joel Mowbray (left) and Ambassador Martin Indyk of the Brookings Institution engage in a spirited debate on Mideast developments on the first day of the conference. (Photo: Ron Sachs)

Finance Minister Steinitz applauds New York City Comptroller John Liu, who earlier this year directed a $15 million Israel bonds investment on behalf of the city of New York. (Photo: David Karp)

Israeli Finance Minister Yuval Steinitz met with Israel Bonds leaders in New York on September 20, praising the organization as “an anchor of stability,” that instills “confidence that Israel can do well in good times and prevail in difficult times.”

Telling his audience, “don’t rest, even for a moment,” the finance minister declared: “Knowing Israel Bonds is there is a source of strength.”

The finance minister traveled the next day to meet with Washington Bonds leaders, where he received a demonstration of the new Israel Bonds online purchase site.