On Thursday, Oct. 16, more than two years after the Oct. 7 attacks, as a ceasefire holds, Israel Bonds announced a record-breaking $5.7 billion in global investments since 2023, the largest fundraising total in the organization’s 74-year history. It’s a milestone that echoes what St. Louis Jews have known for generations: investing in Israel Bonds has always been about connection, community and steadfast support.
A perusal of the Jewish Light archives, available on Newspapers.com, reveals just how prominent Israel Bonds once were in St. Louis Jewish life. The first mention came in the March 24, 1951 issue, in a story about training for what was called the General Solicitation Group. The program officially launched on Aug. 22, 1952. For the next 70 years, dozens of stories about Bonds appeared annually, reflecting its influence on local Jewish culture.
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The early years
Early on, Israel Bonds events resembled full-scale galas, lavish evenings of entertainment and fundraising often held at the Chase Park Plaza, the city’s premier hotel of the day. The 1963 event, for example, featured a revue, dinner and fashion show hosted by the Women’s Division and headlined by famed Israeli singer Shoshana Damari.
These events weren’t just fundraisers, they were social highlights, reflecting a sense of communal pride and purpose. Leaders like Robert Lurie, known to many as the voice behind “The American Jewish Hour” on WEW-AM, played major roles. Lurie served as the St. Louis campaign chair for Israel Bonds and used his media platform to promote its mission.
The Traditional Congregation era
By 1977, the elaborate galas had given way to more modest, but no less meaningful, programs. Traditional Congregation became the annual host of the Bonds event, a role it maintained for the next four decades.
According to Marian Gordon, executive director of Traditional, that consistency was largely thanks to the devotion of longtime volunteers: “Perpetual” chairpersons Esther Abramson-Krut and both of her husbands, Dr. Charles Abramson and Dr. Leib Krut, as well as Drs. Isaac and Isabel Boniuk. “They were the engines that made the program what it was year after year,” Gordon said.
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One story from this era continues to resonate. During the Yom Kippur War in 1973, B’nai Amoona congregant Al Fleishman walked into services and declared, “Israel is at war and we are pledging $1 million in Israel Bonds.” The pledge was met with overwhelming support. Fleishman, a former board member and honorary president of the Jewish Light, helped galvanize community-wide action.
The final years
Traditional Congregation hosted its last Bonds dinner in 2017. A planned 2018 revival fell through due to scheduling conflicts and attempts in 2019 and 2020 didn’t materialize. Then came the pandemic, which effectively brought the long-running tradition to a close.
Still, for generations of St. Louis Jews, Israel Bonds represented something greater than an investment. It was a symbol of shared values, community action and unwavering support for the Jewish state.
