{"id":5771,"date":"2013-03-07T22:25:33","date_gmt":"2013-03-08T04:25:33","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.crescentcityjewishnews.com\/?p=5771"},"modified":"2013-03-08T16:50:02","modified_gmt":"2013-03-08T22:50:02","slug":"state-of-ohio-purchases-record-42-million-in-israel-bonds","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.crescentcityjewishnews.com\/blog\/state-of-ohio-purchases-record-42-million-in-israel-bonds\/","title":{"rendered":"State of Ohio purchases record $42 million in Israel bonds"},"content":{"rendered":"

(JTA) — Ohio has bought $42 million in Israel Bonds, reportedly the largest single government purchase of Israel Bonds in U.S. history. The March 1 purchase increases the total amount of Israel Bonds in the state’s treasury portfolio to more than $80 million; the Cleveland Jewish News reported it as the largest such buy in U.S. history.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe believe this is a sound investment for the taxpayers of Ohio and consistent with our strategy of investing in safe and strong securities,\u201d Ohio State Treasurer Josh Mandel, who is Jewish, told the newspaper.<\/p>\n

The Ohio Revised Code was amended in 1993 to allow the state to invest in foreign bonds. In 2010, the Ohio State Senate passed a bill allowing the state treasury to increase debt earnings in foreign nations from 1\/2 a percent to 1 percent of the state\u2019s portfolio, according to the newspaper.<\/p>\n

The previous highest single purchase of Israel Bonds in U.S. history was $25 million, made by several states, Thomas Lockshin, executive director for Israel Bonds in Ohio and Kentucky, told the Cleveland Jewish News.<\/p>\n

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