Samuel (Sam) Rothberg, of Peoria, Ill. and Palm Springs, Calif., who had extensive family and philanthropic ties to the Jewish community of St. Louis, nationally and internationally, died Friday, July 6, 2007, at his home in Peoria. He was 96. Mr. Rothberg was an early and passionate supporter of the State of Israel, and with the encouragement of David Ben-Gurion, Israel’s first prime minister, was one of the national founders of the State of Israel Bonds Organization. Mr. Rothberg sold billions of dollars in Israel Bonds and contributed and raised large sums for the State of Israel and its educational and cultural insititutions throughout his adult life.

Samuel Rothberg was born Dec. 15, 1910, in the Ukraine, to Bertha and Morris Rothberg. On Dec. 26, 1941, he married Jean Culver of Canton, Ill., whom he called his “wife and best friend of 65 years.” Mr. Rothberg came to the United States with his family in 1913, and grew up in Philadelphia, Pa. He graduated in 1931 from the Philadelphia College of Pharmacy and Science with a degree in bacteriology. The year of his graduation, he was hired by the American Commercial Alcohol Corp., to do research in fermentation. According to Sam Rothberg’s brother, Joe Rothberg of St. Louis, “My brother at first worked at the company at no pay, just for the experience. When the owner of the firm saw him hard at work, he realized his potential and began paying him a salary and giving him more responsibility.”

Following Prohibition, the firm became the American Distilling Co., and Mr. Rothberg moved to Pekin, Ill., and then to Peoria, where he quickly rose to a senior executive position, that he held until his retirement in 1975.

Following World War II, Mr. Rothberg spent 10 weeks in Europe visiting the remnants of the Jewish people in the concentration camps and displaced persons camps in Europe. The late Alfred Fleishman of St. Louis, later head of the Fleishman-Hillard public relations firm, was also among the select group of American Jewish and other leaders to visit the camps, which had a profound effect upon them. “What my brother saw in those camps deeply moved him and made him determined to do all he could to help the Jewish people and the new State of Israel,” said Joe Rothberg in an interview with the St. Louis Jewish Light.

Witnessing first-hand the devastation of the Holocaust indeed became the major turning point in Samuel Rothberg’s life. “He vowed never to let this happen again and dedicated the rest of his life to the new State of Israel,” according to a tribute to Mr. Rothberg published in the Journal Star newspaper in Peoria.

Over the next 50 years, Mr. Rothberg raised funds, developed economic programs and helped expand higher education facilities in the State of Israel.

Mr. Rothberg helped found the Jewish Federation serving Peoria, which raised substantial funds, and led to Mr. Rothberg’s election as national head of the Council of Jewish Federations.

In 1951, he was one of the founders of Israel Bonds, which was an innovative new way to raise capital for economic development, and which was essential for the fledgling State of Israel to launch into a modern nation.

Along with Alfred Fleishman, Melvin Dubinsky and Isadore E. Millstone, all of St. Louis, Mr. Rothberg worked directly with founding Israeli Prime Minister David Ben-Gurion in helping to create Israel Bonds, raising funds for Israel through the Jewish Federation-United Jewish Appeal (now United Jewish Communities) movement and a host of other activities.

For 14 years, Mr. Rothberg was chairman of the Board of Governors of the Hebrew University in Jerusalem, overseeing a period of major expansion. Among the projects he helped establish were the Harry S. Truman Center for the Advancement of Peace and the Golda Meir Fellowship Awards.

Mr. Rothberg developed and endowed the Rothberg School for International Students, a non-denominational academic institution located at Hebrew University, offering undergraduate and graduate courses to students from all over the world. In more recent years, Mr. Rothberg suffered from glaucoma, which led him to establish a glaucoma research and treatment center in Tel Aviv that featured a mobile outreach capability.

He was one of the founding donors to the United States Holocaust Museum in Washington, D.C.

He also served on the Bradley University Board of Trustees from 1972 to 1983. He was a past president of Agudas Achim Congregation in Peoria, Ill.

Mr. Rothberg held honorary doctoral degrees from Bradley University, Hebrew University in Jerusalem, Brandeis University and the Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion. His brother Joe Rothberg shared copies of numerous letters of appreciation to Sam Rothberg from local Jewish leaders, such as Alfred Fleishman, and Israeli leaders such as David Ben-Gurion and Golda Meir as well as former President Bill Clinton, among many others.

Mr. Rothberg is survived by his wife of 65 years, Jean; and one brother, Joseph Rothberg, of St. Louis.

Also surviving are his four children, Michael (Amy) Rothberg, of California; Patrick Rothberg of Illinois; Kathy (Brian) Barnett of Illinois and Heidi Rothberg of Colorado. In addition there are five grandchildren, Rebecca (Ron) Huddleston and Nina Rothberg of California and Amanda, Lucy and Katie Barnett of Illinois; as well as 10 nieces and nephews.

Mr. Rothberg was preceded in death by his brother, Harry Rothberg; and his sisters, Chickie Shmerelson and Anne Wildstein.

Private funeral services were held Wednesday, July 11 in Peoria, Ill. Contributions may be made to the charity of one’s choice.