For Chanukah gifts think Israel Bonds

By Deborah Shatz

(AJNews) – Chanukah starts this year on December 25 – it’s a holiday that celebrates the triumph of light over darkness and freedom of worship. It’s a holiday of family love and community unity – a holiday that celebrates our connection to Israel with the miraculous story of Judah and the Maccabees. We celebrate Chanukah by lighting the holiday candles, playing dreidel games, and eating latkes and sufganiyot. And of course by gathering with friends and families for wonderful meals. We show our pride in being Jewish by placing our chanukiot in the window for everyone to see. It is also a holiday of gift giving. This year it coincides with Christmas – an even bigger holiday of gift giving! It is the perfect time to share the connection that you have with the State of Israel by buying Israel Bonds as Chanukah gifts for your loved ones.

Basically, an Israel Bond is a loan you can make to the State of Israel. Once you make the loan, the State of Israel issues a bond to you. In return for the loan, the State of Israel agrees to pay interest to you, the bondholder, and repay the loan at the end of its term. Israel uses the loaned money to help strengthen almost every part of its modern, innovative and diverse economy.

Israel Bonds are excellent Chanukah presents. I also love to give them as Bar and Bat Mitzvah gifts. It always feels like the perfect gift. The kids are at an ideal age to learn about the incredible innovations that are taking place in Israel in technology, health care, agriculture and much more. It is also a perfect age for the youth to learn more about investments. Israel Bonds are also great presents for other life cycle events like birthdays, weddings, births, and anniversaries as well as for mazel tovs for achievements like promotions and graduations.

The ancestral connection of the Jewish People to Israel and the importance of Israel’s survival is not debatable. I don’t agree with or support many of the actions of past and current Israeli governments, just as I don’t agree with or support all the actions of the Canadian governments. But a strong, safe and secure Israel is important for current and future generations. A gift of an Israel Bond is a gift for the present and the future – they can be set for 1 year, 3 year, 5 year or ten year terms.

Not only are Israel Bonds great gifts but they are multi-dimensional and versatile. You can buy them as an investment for your own portfolio and also as a donation. You can even donate them to an organization that is doing good work that you’d like to support – then it’s a double mitzvah.

The Israel Bonds enterprise has spread throughout the world. Friends of Israel on three continents continue to view Israel bonds as value-added securities — and significant acquisitions for financial portfolios and direct investments in a land of creative achievement.

From its launching in 1951 and continuing through the present day, Israel Bonds has played a unique role in Israel’s rapid progression from struggling agrarian nation to global economic powerhouse. Today, investing in Israel bonds supports a nation of extraordinary innovation that continues to push the boundaries of modern technology.

For details about the options, call 416-789-3351 to speak to a registered representative and for more information visit israelbonds.ca.