Treasure Trove: Keren Hayesod – From a 1922 Sacrifice Bond to Today

This Keren Hayesod Sacrifice Bond certificate represents more of a sacrifice than a bond.

Issued in 1922, it was part of a fundraising initiative “for the upbuilding of Palestine as a homeland for the Jewish people” and records a sacrifice “in accordance with the ancient law of Maaser”  (maaser is tithing or giving one-tenth away to charity first mentioned in the Torah in relation to Abraham).

The certificate makes it clear that the investment is made for the Jewish people, and it will yield no return of money to the “investor”.  It does much more than that.  It says it will realize the prayer of centuries, the hope of millions, and it will continue the historic associations of Israel and Palestine kept alive amidst medieval persecutions and publicly recognized by Britain in the Balfour Declaration of 1917.  The Bond linked the donor to the Land of Israel restored as a centre of Jewish Life.

Keren Hayesod (at the time, in English the Palestine Foundation Fund and currently the United Israel Appeal) helped to achieve all of the aspirations set out on the certificate.  It was founded in 1920 in London, England to finance the work of the Zionist movement.  Leading figures in its early days included Chaim Weizmann, Ze’ev Jabotinsky and Albert Einstein. Keren Hayesod raised the seed money to establish the Hebrew University and the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra and established dozens of communities to house the waves of immigrants following Israel’s creation and has facilitated immigration and absorption of the many immigrants who have come to Israel since including from Russia and Ethiopia.  

In 1956, the State of Israel passed a law that made Keren Hayesod the official fundraising arm of the country in all places other than the United States (which has an independent system).

Keren Hayesod continues to serve as the link between the people of Israel and Jewish communities around the world and fulfills a critical role in the fundraising for Israel during regular times (of which there are very few) and emergencies (of which unfortunately there are many).

Canada’s Bruce Leboff is currently the Chairman of Keren Hayesod’s World Board of Trustees.  Other Canadians who have held this important position are Phil Granofsky z’l, Julia Koschitzky z’l and David Koschitzky.

Commenting on the role of Keren Hayesod now as compared to 100 years ago, Bruce Leboff says:

“One of the greatest honors of holding a leadership role in an organization like Keren Hayesod is seeing how the mission that began more than 100 years ago remains more relevant today than ever before.  The organization continues to stand as a proud national institution committed to Aliyah, strengthening Israeli society, and deepening the connection between Israel and the Diaspora. We are involved in major projects across the country, from the south to the north, working alongside our strategic partner, The Jewish Agency for Israel, as well as hospitals, municipalities, and NGOs. We are also playing a significant role in helping rehabilitate Israel in the aftermath of October 7th.  Our deep tradition, combined with the urgent missions of the present, is what I believe makes our story so unique. We were there before the State was founded, and our job is to make sure the state continues to flourish into the future.”

The need persists while what is needed changes.   The objective remains the same as it did in 1922: to continue to upbuild the special place called Israel as the homeland of the Jewish people.

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Treasure Trove is a program of The Herzl Project.

For more treasures from the Herzl and Zionism Collection of David Matlow, which has appeared weekly in the Treasure Trove column in the Canadian Jewish News (www.thecjn.ca) since February 2021, see https://herzlcollection.com/treasure-trove