During my recent trip to Israel as part of a solidarity mission with Israel Bonds, life there seemed somewhat normal. It was a bright, sunny day. Traffic was bustling. Construction cranes were seen on every other block. Young people were rushing from one place to another on their bikes.
But we all know that things are not “normal” in Israel. It’s clear that Israel has been forever changed by Oct. 7. It doesn’t take long, particularly when one leaves the lively metropolis of Tel Aviv, to feel the shocking blow that Hamas has dealt the Israeli people and the Jewish people in general.
I have been a vocal supporter of Israel for decades. I felt at my core that I needed to be there and experience the country in person during these extremely challenging times.
When we visited the ransacked Kibbutz Kfar Aza, we saw the evidence of the carnage firsthand: Homes covered with bullet holes, posters with the names of the brutally murdered victims plastered on most homes, the insides of the houses black and charred. It seemed almost impossible that, not so long ago, these were homes filled with laughter and life.
A few days later, we had the privilege of looking the survivors of Kfar Aza in the eye and hearing their stories. They’ve been evacuated to Kibbutz Shefayim, an hour north of Tel Aviv on the country’s coast. Although only 60 miles from Kfar Aza, the bucolic and tranquil Shefayim feels like a different world.
The stories we heard from survivors were harrowing: One girl spent 30 hours in her safe room until she was rescued, only to witness the devastation of what was left of her home when she emerged. Another man shared with us that he used to drive every week to the border with Gaza and give Gazans medical supplies and food. His vacant and defeated eyes mirrored his words when he told us that he had come to the painful realization that everything he believed in had collapsed like a house of cards on Oct. 7.
These are just a few examples of the raw and honest conversations I was able to have with Israelis during our visit. Our stops included paying respects to the victims of the Nova Festival massacre, visiting an Iron Dome military base and holding private meetings with both President Isaac Herzog and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
This mission was not something we took lightly and is a testament to the work Israel Bonds has done as an organization at this critical moment in Israel’s history. This work has provided essential financial support to the country across a variety of sectors. Since Oct. 7, Israel Bonds has raised more than $1.5 billion worldwide—part of the $51 billion it has raised over the past 73 years. Last year alone, Israel Bonds surpassed $2.7 billion in worldwide investments, a record-breaking total that was more than double its average annual sales. Over the first 90 days of this year, we surpassed over $1 billion in new investments.
Post-Oct. 7, Israel’s economy was hard hit by the ensuing war and thousands of Israelis had to leave their families and their professions to serve in the reserves for months on end. During this time, as of the end of 2023, Israel Bonds sales equaled 25% of Israel’s total foreign debt.
These impressive figures would be impossible without the groundswell of local support in the United States and abroad from individuals and institutions. This vast support sends a powerful message of solidarity to our brothers and sisters in Israel. State treasurers from across the political spectrum have been long-term investors in Israel bonds, but many of them have doubled down and purchased significantly more bonds as a statement of solidarity. From Florida to my home state of Texas, their message is clear: Israel has always been there for us and we’ll be there for Israel in a time of crisis.
As chairman of Israel Bonds’ National Campaign Advisory Council, this has been extremely moving to see.
In the end, however, what Israel Bonds does far surpasses the somewhat cold and calculating nature of drumming up investments. As a long-time advocate for Israel, I do this work as a lay leader to foster long-lasting and meaningful connections with the Jewish state. I know deep in my heart that without Israel there is not a safe Jew anywhere in the world.
Many years ago, I began buying Israel Bonds for my children, never once thinking I’d be a senior lay leader for the organization. But over time, the need to support Israel has become ever more critical. Going to Israel for the first time in 2010 changed my life. Before that, I used to find every reason under the sun not to go. Now, it’s hard to keep me away. Each time I am there, I feel like I am at home.
There are over six million Jews in the world outside of Israel and we all need to unify as Israel continues to fight for its existence. There is no better way to show unity than to invest in Israel. My recent trip to Israel only solidified my belief that every investment in Israel Bonds is an investment in the future safety of the Jewish people.
