Expect to hear this month from State of Israel Bonds. This wonderful organization will be calling members of Congregation B’nai Moshe in an effort to raise awareness of the importance of buying bonds during the High Holiday season. Please answer this call — to learn more, and to consider making a purchase.

A check written to State of Israel Bonds is not a charitable contribution. It is an investment of your money which will be returned to you with interest. The bonds you purchase can play an important role in your savings or retirement fund.

You can invest as little as $100 for a Mazel Tov bond which matures in five years at just under $110 (nearly 2 percent interest). If you have investment dollars of $25,000 or more, and you can part with the money for 10 years, then you can earn a fixed rate of 3.6 percent by purchasing the Jubilee Bond. The Maccabee Bond, at a minimum purchase of $5,000, pays an annual fixed rate of more than 2 percent for a five-year commitment. There are numerous options for shorter time periods and lower amounts, all paying more than 1 percent.

In these days of economic upheaval, the purchase of a State of Israel Bond is a safe investment. In its 60 year history, more than $30 billion dollars in bonds have been purchased, and Israel has repaid every penny of principal and interest on time.

And while you are earning valuable interest, the money is being used by our brothers and sisters in Israel to create and maintain their country’s infrastructure, including: improvements in mass transit, water purification, recycling and energy conservation. Last year, as a congregation, we met our goal of having 50 households purchase bonds, for a total of nearly $150,000. This year, in honor of our 100th anniversary, I would ask each of you to minimally purchase a $100 Mazel Tov bond from the State of Israel. You have the option of: Donating the bond to the synagogue. Using it as a gift to someone you love. Keeping the bond, and receiving in return just under $110 five years from now.

For more information, including current rates, please visit israelbonds.com or call the local Bonds Office (at the JCC) at 888.352.6556.