Background Discussion Symbolically Speaking

One of the more pleasant tasks of the young State of Israel was to plan its central symbols.

Every state needs symbols, in order to provide a focus for national loyalties and emotions, and the symbols of state -- flags and emblems and the like -- are usually designed to maximize the emotional effect on the population of the state. The colors and design are often chosen on the basis of old ideas and traditions that have become significant in the life of the People and are likely to resonate emotionally for them.

The Israeli flag, two horizontal blue stripes on a white background surrounding a blue Magen David – shield of David – was based on the official flag of the Zionist movement adopted at the beginning of the twentieth century. The flag itself, in this design, originated in the late nineteenth century. The significance of the colors, as was noted at the Zionist Congress where it was officially adopted, lay in the fact that these were the traditional colors of the tallit, “the traditional flag of the Jewish People.” It was natural to adopt this flag as the national flag following independence.

The national emblem, the Menorah, flanked by two olive branches, with the word Israel connecting them at the bottom, was also adopted at the beginning of statehood. The model of the Menorah – the Jewish People’s oldest national symbol – was based on the version that appears on the Arch of Titus in Rome, the victory arch built by the Romans to commemorate their victory over the Jews after the Destruction of the Second Temple. That arch depicts a scene of the Romans carrying away the sacred vessels of the Temple into exile, and central among them was the Menorah. What could be more natural than for the young state, reaffirming the idea of Jewish sovereignty after thousands of years, to incorporate into its official emblem that same menorah. The Romans destroyed our sovereignty and captured our sacred symbols, it seemed to say. Zionism has restored that broken sovereignty and brought the Menorah back from its exile to Israel.

Another decision related to coins. The designs on the first coins to be minted were based on motifs from coins issued during the Great Revolt against the Romans, or during the Bar Kochba revolt, or on natural motifs drawn from the plants and fruits of the Land of Israel. In this way the vertical connection to the national past and the horizontal connection to the physical land of the present were made through the coinage.

An additional issue was the question of a national anthem. Here, there was no controversy. Although Hatikvah was only accepted as the official song of the Zionist movement in 1933, it had been the unofficial anthem for most of the years of the Zionist movement. This song, whose words were written in the late 1870s by a Zionist poet, Naftali Herz Imber, and whose melody, based on a Rumanian folk-song, was added only a few years later, was by far the most popular song that the national movement had ever produced. Attempts in the late nineteenth and early twentieth century to organize official competitions for an official Zionist anthem had been unsuccessful, due to the poor quality of the songs submitted. It was natural that the new state should see Hatikvah as its anthem.

Regarding one decision of great symbolic importance there was no need to discuss. Jerusalem. It was clear to all at this time, that Jerusalem was the only possible place for the national capital. Ben Gurion called it “the eternal capital”, and as such it had functioned since the time of David. If the choice of symbols was aimed at awakening emotional responses among the People, nothing could be stronger in this regard than the choice of Jerusalem as capital.

The national symbols were soon in place.

Activity National Symbols

Suitable for younger and middle school groups

We suggest a number of different activities to select the national symbols for the new state. The final activity can incorporate a number of the different elements.

Part One: Designing Symbols

- Organize a competition to design an emblem, flag and coinage for the new state. The participants are called together (possibly by "Ben Gurion") and told of the competition and of the responsibility that they have. The importance of symbols in a state is explained.

- They are then divided into groups, each of which has to submit designs for all of the three objects, a national emblem, a national flag and a basic design for a national coin. The group is told that the prizes will be given for the best combination of the three things.

- They then get to work as a group, and should be encouraged to discuss the various ideas as a group, rather than simply dividing the work up among the group members without consultation. Substantial art supplies must be made available to the groups. A festive atmosphere should be created by the used of music, etc.

- Finally, all the work should be displayed, and a panel judges should go round and comment on the different works. The participants should be encouraged to explain the ideas that they have chosen.

- The judges should finally bring out copies of the flag, the emblem and one of the first coins, (details in the Encyclopedia Judaica) and explain that these are the models that have been chosen and the different motifs and the reasons for those motifs.

Part Two: Location of the Capital

- We propose a simple debate (2 speakers) on the question of the location of the capital of the new state.

- The motion of the debate (which must be set in 1948) is (This House Believes that):

Jerusalem Must be the Capital of the New Jewish State.

- It can be played in a dramatic setting, if desired, by the simple device of explaining that it is an issue that upon which the Provisional Government of the State must decide. Ben Gurion has decided to ask two ministers to prepare a debate bringing out all the pros and cons of the issue prior to the final decision. The rest of the group become the other members of the Provisional Government.

One factor that should be taken into account, especially by the opponent of the motion, is the situation of Jerusalem in 1948. It is a city divided, in the center of the Arab populated part of the country. A glance at the 1947 Partition Plan may will underline that reality. This will afford plenty of scope for an argument which maintains that Jerusalem is important on an emotional level, but that in the reality of the time, it makes much more sense to have the capital in the center of Jewish territory – like Tel Aviv. It can be argued that, just as Yochanan ben Zakai realized the need to build a practical center at Yavneh, understanding that to insist on Jerusalem was tantamount to national suicide, so pragmatism here must win out if the small Jewish State is to survive. This is not time for romantic gestures.

The other side of the argument, that Jerusalem is the heart of the Jewish People and that it represents the raison d’etre of the Zionist enterprise, is straightforward.

Part Three: Composing an Anthem

- The third activity is an anthem contest, to devise a national anthem for the new state. The anthem must reflect various ideas that will remind the population of the meaning of Zionism and the new State of Israel.

- The group should be divided up into pairs or small groups and asked to devise the words to an anthem. They can compose their own melody or use an existing one, but the melody must be suitable to an anthem, and not an unsuitable pop song. No rap! Have the words written out clearly on poster paper

- When prepared, the songs should be sung in turn, preceded by the composers' explanation of what themes they decided to emphasize in their songs, and why.

- The judges should choose one or two examples as the most suitable, having heard all the songs, and the composers of the song/s should be asked to teach the songs to the whole group.

- Finally, the madrichim should teach the Hatikvah and briefly tell the story of its composition.