The Israeli flag is white with blue stripes resembling a tallit and a blue Star of David. A tallit is a special Jewish garment worn by men during prayer and when reading the Torah (the holy book of the Jews).
The Israeli flag is white with blue stripes resembling a tallit and a blue Star of David. A tallit is a special Jewish garment worn by men during prayer and when reading the Torah (the holy book of the Jews).
In photographs and paintings, the Israeli flag is usually depicted with the mast on the left, as is customary in most countries, but contrary to the direction of the Hebrew script.
During the Declaration of Independence in 1948, the flag was raised as it is today. However, after the creation of the state, discussions began about whether the flag of the Zionist movement should be adopted as the national flag.
Among the citizens of the new state of Israel, there was concern about members of the Zionist movement who held dual citizenship. They feared that if the flag of the Zionist movement also became the flag of the new state, they would be automatically identified as supporters of the state, potentially causing political and legal problems. Before his election, Theodor (Binyamin Ze'ev) Herzl proposed a flag with a white background and seven golden stars, symbolizing 7 hours of daily labor. The Committee on the Flag and Symbols of the New State reviewed proposals for a new national flag. Many of them were based on the flag of the Zionist movement:
The flag of the Zionist movement was chosen after considering various ideas. One reason for the choice was its popularity among the Jewish community, which even had a say in its design. During the discussions about whether to declare the Zionist flag the flag of the Jewish state, one of the considerations was that the white flag with two blue stripes and the Star of David on it has become synonymous with the Jewish state and its struggle.
An interesting fact about the flag: In 2008, on the occasion of the 60th anniversary of the independence of the State of Israel, a massive Israeli flag measuring 100 by 200 meters was unfurled at the foot of the mountains in Eilat. This flag is now considered one of the largest in the world.