Last modified: 2024-04-06 by martin karner
Keywords: israel | menorah | banknote | anniversary |
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I have access to some parts of the Jewish Encyclopedia and other Israeli documentation and there is several vex information:
Jaume Ollé, 31 May 1998
Is it true that the Falacha community use a blue flag with
inscriptions or emblem?
Jaume Ollé, 22 February 1999
I guess you mean the Ethiopian Jews who insist that they be
not called Falaches, since the Falaches (really Falach-Mura) are
those who converted to Christianity and are no longer part of the
Ethiopian Jews community. I don't know about any flag of them.
There is no official or known flag of the community.
Dov Gutterman, 27 February 1999
I saw the new Israeli
banknote of 20 New Sheqalim showing the Israeli flag, but it
also shows some (at least two) other flags in the background.
This might be flags from the United Nations
building in New York, or something of the sort. One seems to be
an Argentine flag, but the image is too
bad to identify anything for certain.
Željko Heimer, 13 May 1999
Could it be a symbol of Israel being recognized among the
independent nations of the world? It would then make perfect
sense to use common colourless patterns for the flags in the
back, so they would just mean realistic, yet unidentifiable,
"other nations". Notice that none of the flags except
the Israeli one can be immediately identified for sure.
Obviously, this is on purpose.
Pierre Gay, 13 May 1999
The new 20 INS note is dedicated (as was the old one) to Moshe
Sharet, the first Foreign Minister and the second Prime Minister
of Israel. The note commemorates the event that took place on May
11th 1949 when Israel was accepted as UN member and Mr. Sharet
was honoured by raising the Israeli flag. Since the flag order at
the UN follows the alphabetical order, in the original picture you can see
the flags of Iceland and India.
I think that in designing the new bill, the designers preferred
not to show actual flags and therefore the bill includes some
symbolic, imaginary flags.
Dov Gutterman, 13 May 1999
![[Unidentified Flag with Coat-of-Arms (Israel)]](../images/i/il!coa.gif)
image by Dov Gutterman and Željko Heimer
One of the unique discoveries of my 18 September 2001
[municipalities flags] tour was a flag that was hoisted in Zefat city hall. Beside the municipal
flag and the national flag, there was a white flag charged with
the national emblem in reversed
colours. I never saw such a flag before anywhere. Here are some photos.
Dov Gutterman, 28 September 2001
A blogger I know posts pictures of an Israeli flag made of lights (for Tuesday's Memorial
Day and Wednesday's Independence Day celebrations) in Tel Aviv at
ajhistory.blogspot.com [pictures not retrievable].
Nathan Lamm, 2 May 2006
For those who are not familiar with it, we celebrate it
according to the Hebrew calendar, so even thou it was on 14 May
1948, we celebrate it on He BeIyar (5th day of the eighth month).
The building in the photo is the city hall of Tel-Aviv and I can
assure you that in reality the lights are blue and
white ... Better photo at maxvps019.maximumasp.com [picture not retrievable – we would be happy for sending us one].
Few words about the flag. This flag is claimed to be the biggest
light-flag in the world. It is situated on the southern wall of
Tel Aviv city hall facing Rabin Square and is made of 580,000
bulbs. It is called Lights of Hope' Flag, and the bulbs was
lightened gradually in the past month. Each bulb represent a
donation of 18 NIS (~4 US$) for ELEM (organization for youth in
danger). The number 18 (in Hebrew hai, it also means to live) is
symbolic.
Dov Gutterman, 3 May 2006
![[flag]](../images/i/il_60an.jpg)
image by Zachary Harden
flag
![[logo]](../images/i/il_60.gif)
image located by Dov Gutterman
logo
In may 2008, Israel will celebrate its 60th anniversary. The
government decided to adopt a special logo which will appear on
all its publications and on public transportation busses, trains,
planes etc.
It is also planned to have this logo on flags which will be
hoisted next to national flags.
Six proposals reached the final cut, that will be held today.
Some are following the major motif of the celebrations which is:
"Children of Israel – Citizens of Tomorrow".
The daily Yedi'oth Akharonot of today published the final six proposals.
Later today or tomorrow we will know who is the winner.
Dov Gutterman, 3 September 2007
Following my previous post, above is the winning design of the
60th anniversary logo, which will be used also on flags. The
designer is Ramo Sintas and its explanation is as follows:
"We choose a design that combines flow and
innovation. This is an Israeli logo that expresses optimism
which is derived from of hope and great faith." The
inscription is: "Israel – today and tomorrow".
Dov Gutterman, 4 September 2007
A flag of Israel's 60th Anniversary was sold in eBay (picture).
William Garrison, 14 April 2008
This photo was made by the German photojournalist Anja
Niedringhaus (1965–2014). It shows an Israeli soldier jumping off an armored vehicle carrying a flag
of Israel's 60th anniversary as his unit celebrates its return from the Gaza Strip to the Israeli side of
the border on January 16, 2009. (Source > scroll sidewards at the top photo)
Martin Karner, 17 November 2023 (photo located by William Garrison)
This article has information
about the symbol itself and how it was adopted. Here
is another opinion piece. I was able to make a PNG file [here: JPG] of the flag from the first source, but the
Hebrew Wikipedia
has a vector logo.
Zachary Harden, 17 November 2023
image located by William Garrison
A white-field flag with a blue-colored outline of apparently the city of Jerusalem, with the blue
Star of David in the center (similar to the Israeli National Flag), with a crown [and a Third Temple gate].
William Garrison, 10 May 2022
This flag may belong to a political/religious party, but, more importantly, it reflects an idea and aspiration of several extremist and ultra-orthodox groups in Israel and in the United States. Here is the explanation of the elements, all of which are from an imaginary/aspirational future, and have no official codification:
images located by Pete Loeser
Todd Mills has nailed it. For those needing a better visual of the "Eretz Yisrael Greater Israel",
I located these maps once I knew what to look for
(Open Clip Art #1 and
Open Clip Art #2).
Pete Loeser, 27 June 2022
As Todd Mills mentions, the borders on the flag are based on Biblical texts which describe
prophetically the outlines of Israel in the future Messianic Kingdom (Jewish term) or Millennial Kingdom (Christian
term). The passages with a general description of the borders are: Genesis 15:18–21, Deuteronomy 1:7 and
11:24; the passages with a more detailed description: Numbers 34:1–15 and Ezekiel 47:13–20. He also
points out correctly that since the flag references to the Old Testament (Jewish term: Tanakh), we can't
say if it has a Jewish or Christian context, without further information.
Martin Karner, 14 June 2023
![[70th anniversary flag]](../images/i/il_70b.jpg)
image located by William Garrison
A white-field flag with the Israeli flag in the center, surrounded by two concentric rings with
the blue lettering "ISRAEL | 70 YEARS", a menorah and the star of David. Photo of a gathering in Poland,
probably in 2018 (Source: notesfrompoland.com,
original picture).
located by William Garrison, 21 February 2023
![[Ulster-Israel flag]](../images/g/gb!ni_il_union.jpg)
image located by William Garrison
The "Israel-Ulster" flag: being the national flag of Israel with "Unionist" Northern
Ireland imagery on it. Pro-Ireland (anti-UK), re-unification "Nationalist" Northern Irelanders
frequently wave Palestinian flags at football/soccer matches. Some claim that the pro-UK
"Unionist" or "Loyalist" community in Northern Ireland hold a lot support for Israel, if
for no other reason than the "Nationalists" seem to favor Palestine. This pro-Israel flag is being
sold in a Northern Irish flag shop as
the "Israel-Ulster" flag. Some may find the Christian cross atop the British crown
upon this Israeli flag as being a little unusual/controversial (others may critique that the artwork is
rather gaudy overall anyway).
William Garrison, 7 March 2023
This video from the Israeli news channel i24:
Northern Irish Catholics Burn Israeli Flags,
and this article from thej.ca: Testimonies From Northern Irish Politicians On Why They Support Israel
provide some context to that matter.
Martin Karner, 8 March/16 October 2023
![[Ulster-Israel flag]](../images/g/gb!ni-il_big.jpg)
image located by Martin Karner
A variant with the St. George's cross on white from the Northern Irish Red Hand Flag,
supplemented with two blue horizontal stripes on top and at the bottom.
The Israeli Magen David with the Ulster Red Hand in its center is placed in the
center of the cross, elevated by the royal crown.
(source,
source)
Martin Karner, 16 October 2023
See also: The Red Hand Flag
![[jerusalem flag]](../images/i/il-jerus_maestro.jpg)
image located by William Garrison
We understand what it means when a flag is shown as being either "horizontal" or "vertical".
Please view the above Jerusalem flag, it is neither – sort of a 45-degree NW-diagonal angle.
FOTW dictionary does use "ascending diagonal" (to the NE) but lists no "descending diagonal"
or "diagonal". A flag whose shield/logo has been rotated
approximately 45 degrees towards the northwest can be readily viewed when that flag is hung limp
on a flag pole.
William Garrison, 22 April 2023
We certainly can talk about the sense of turning a flag emblem into the diagonal position in
order to become more photogenic when the flag is displayed standing or hanging limp. Is an artificial
diagonal design still compatible with the original purpose and meaning of a flag? (Such flags never can be
used by carrying them or fly them outside) I'm not able now to give a definite answer to this question, but
perhaps I have an explanation as to why the idea of the diagonal design could gain ground
in Israel. Looking at Israeli national flags hanging limp
[picture, source]
makes it clear that the six-pointed Star of David is mostly in an upright
position by nature. Every 60 degrees it stands upright which is quite convenient when displaying the flag
in a standig or limp position. Maybe this inspired some flag makers to create other flags with a diagonal design.
Martin Karner, 2 May 2023
See also: Ministry of Health – Variant with rotated design, IDF flag (rotated indoor version)
![[Buzz Beurling's flag]](../images/i/il_bb.jpg)
image located by William Garrison
This flag appeared in the "Air Aces – George Beurling" television program, Season 1,
Ep. 1; c. spring 2023. The program was unclear in noting where this flag
was being flown: either on Malta or in Israel. Recently I emailed the "National Library of
Israel" in Jerusalem and asked if they had any information
about this flag; although several staff members were asked, none could identify it.
Story info: This flag appeared in the aforesaid program at about the 41:49 mark into the 45-minute-long
program. Flight Lieutenant George Beurling was
recognized as "Canada's most famous hero of the Second World War", as "The Falcon of
Malta", where he flew in action. Malta island is located in the Mediterranean Sea just south of Italy.
An announcer in this program commented: "In 1947 Israel is looking for people to come and help them in
the war against Palestine." Technically, in 1947 there was no independent Israel yet in the
then-"British Mandate of Palestine" (Israel became independent in May 1948). Around the 41:49 mark
in this film the narrator is talking about Jewish war refugees on Malta, who were trying to sail
to Palestine-Israel. The film is unclear as to where this flag is being flown. In the design of the letter
"B", the top half is slightly smaller than the lower half. Therefore, if "BB" is read
properly, then the stripe is at the top of the flag. Looking at the photos, it is clear that there is only
one stripe on this flag, not two as on the regular Israeli flag. Unfortunately, I do not know what was the
purpose for the use of this flag.
William Garrison, 17 July 2023
I think this flag does have two coloured stripes, although the bottom one may be a different colour
from the top one.
Rob Raeside, 17 July 2023
That is George Frederick "Buzz" Beurling's personal flag (BB = Buzz Beurling). The documentary Above and Beyond
tells the story of the Machal (overseas volunteers who fought alongside Israeli forces during the 1948
Arab-Israeli War). It also tells a sideline story of the smuggling of aircrafts for the would-be Israel
Air Force, in which Beurling perished.
Esteban Rivera, 18 July 2023
![["Taiwan loves Israel" flag]](../images/t/tw_tw-il-love.jpg)
image located by William Garrison
A "Jesus | Taiwan loves Israel" flag that mimics the national flag of Israel along with
the national flag of Taiwan (Republic of China) inserted to the left of the Star of David. A flag of
evangelical Taiwanese Christians in Jerusalem; September 2015.
Original caption: "Evangelical Christians in Jerusalem, on September 29, 2015. Credit: Olivier Fitoussi"
(source: haaretz.com
[with paywall], picture)
William Garrison, 18 August 2023
![[US-Israel friendship flag]](../images/u/us-il.jpg)
image located by William Garrison
One of the better examples of a combined friendship flag. Here Israeli protesters are showing a
US-Israel flag outside the US consulate in Tel Aviv. The intention of the protesters was quite probably
not just to commemorate the US-Israeli friendship, but to remind both their governments of the
democratic principles that israel shares with the United States and which the protesters see as
endangered.
Original caption: "Israelis wave Israeli and American flags as they protest the coalition's judicial
overhaul legislation, outside the US consulate in Tel Aviv, March 7, 2023. (Tomer Neuberg/Flash90)"
(source,
picture)
located by William Garrison, 19 August 2023
![[anti-Israel flag]](../images/i/ir_anti-il.jpg)
image located by William Garrison
Picture caption: "A printed flag mimicking that of Israel that has four black
bottom-of-boot prints trampling atop the Israeli flag along with a black-ink Farsi slogan printed on the
bottom white stripe with the Farsi/Persian words Marg Bar Israel or 'Death to Israel' in Tehran,
Iran, 15 August 2020." (source: shutterstock.com)
located by William Garrison, 21 August 2023
See also: Anti-Israel flags (Iran)
![[Israel-Egypt flag]](../images/e/eg}j1977.gif)
image by António Martins, 16 March 2024
President Sadat Peace-Visit flag (10x16 cm), Egyptian flag cloth with "Jerusalem"
and "19.11.1977" on the center white stripe, noting the 19–21 Nov. 1977 visit of Egyptian
President Sadat to Jerusalem, Israel (picture, reverse). (source: ebay.com)
located by William Garrison, 18 September 2023
This 10:16 (=5:8) ratio differs slightly from the official 2:3. The
details of the eagle are also slightly different, lacking the text under
the scroll and this keeping the bird's head slightly more distant from
the red stripe edge; the shield bears also three [five-pointed stars] aligned
vertically, which are absent from the official version.
The bird is shown on this photo looking at the viewer's left hand,
while both writings read correctly.
António Martins, 13 March 2024
I am sure the flag was produced in Israel. It was made to commemorate Egypt's President Sadat visit to
Jerusalem, Israel. As Arabs usually refer to Jerusalem as "Al-Quds" ("The Holy"), had
this flag been made in Egypt I think an Egyptian manufacturer would have used the word: "Al-Quds"
– which was not used.
This hand-held flag has been offered for sale on eBay at least twice by different sellers – both
selling from Jerusalem. While it has the design of the Egyptian flag, it appears that it was made to be
use by Israelis for waving during Pres. Sadat's visit.
As most Egyptians were against a peace treaty with
Israel, I doubt that this flag was waved by anyone in Cairo.
William Garrison, 13 March 2024
See also: Republic of Egypt (1972–1984)
![[We love Israel flag]](../images/i/il_weloveisrael.jpg)
image located by William Garrison
Israel-supporting flags "We love Israel", together with Finnish national flags on a march
of Evangelical Christians in Jerusalem (2019). (source: haaretz.com [with paywall], picture)
located by William Garrison, 22 September 2023
![[Metal flag]](../images/i/il_ykw_mem.jpg)
image located by William Garrison
To commemorate Israel's retention of the Golan Heights (between the Syrian and Israeli borders) during
the Oct. 1973 Yom Kippur War, a metal statute depicting two Israeli soldiers holding the Israeli national
flag was dedicated in early Sept. 2023 atop the domineering dormant Tel Saki volcanic hill on the
Golan Heights. (source: jpost.com, picture)
William Garrison, 25 September 2023
See also: The 'Ink Flag' at Eilat (Israel) ( > memorial with metal flag)
![["Love of Israel in the soul" flag]](../images/i/il}hbt.gif)
image by António Martins, 5 April 2024
Israeli national flag connected to the Yeshiva "Hakotel" (Jewish religious school).
Inscription above: "Love of Israel in the soul" (אהבת ישראל בנשמה);
below: "Quarter midrash" (מדרשת הרוע). The
Midrash is an ancient commentary on the Hebrew Biblical scriptures. (picture, source)
located by William Garrison, 28 September 2023
I suppose "Quarter midrash" refers to a city distict, one comprising a large synagogue
and auxiliary facilities – could be that?
António Martins, 5 April 2024
