Last modified: 2007-09-15 by dov gutterman
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![[Municipality of Jerusalem (Israel)]](../images/i/il-jerus.gif)
8:11
image by Eugene Ipavec, 5 September 2007
Coat-of-arms adopted 13th November 1958
See also:
The lion (...) is the symbol of Yehuda (Judah) Tribe.
Dov Gutterman, 18 November 1998
I have lived in Jerusalem, a few blocks away from City Hall,
for a number of years. The charge and its inscription are yellow
(or gold) and blue (or "indigo"), like the two
horizontal stripes, and definitely not black.
The inscription is merely the city's name in Hebrew.
The brickwork pattern represents the Kotel or Western
Wall (of the Temple Mount). The fructed olive branches are, as in
the national emblem and presidential standard, indicative of
peace and goodwill. Yellow and white are said to represent the
gold and silver vessels used in the Holy Temple of King Solomon
on Mount Moriah. The color blue presumably symbolizes the tekhelet,
a special dye used for tsitsiyot (fringes or tassels) on
the talit (prayer shawl) and beged shel arba kanfot
(four-cornered garment). There are other valid interpretations as
well.
I am afraid that, for the moment, the source of this explanation
is no better than the common knowledge. This does not necessarily
make it hearsay, though. I suppose that just about any
Jerusalemite who would claim to know the flag's significance will
give the same reckoning I did. In truth, I have no doubt one
could find any number of glossy coffee-table editions available
in Jerusalem bookstores to corroborate that account, but if you
were to question the authors, they would likely give you the same
source I just did. In any event, the interpretation is not, to my
knowledge, in dispute. There may well be some circles who find
its symbolism somehow objectionable and offer substitutes of
their own invention. So far as the actual devices on the flag are
concerned, I can say that a careful examination of the wall in
the flag will show that it is identical to the Western Wall. Yes,
there is a unique pattern to the bricks.
M. Breier, 18-20 June 1999
The Jerusalem emblem was adopted in 1949 following an official
competition, similar to the one for
the national flag and emblem. A few years ago the City
Gallery of Jerusalem (a fancy name for a one-room gallery near
the City Hall) held an exhibition on the subject, showing some of
the proposals. They also published a booklet, which I was lucky
to obtain but since traded it and kept only a photocopy. The
information there supports the explanation given by M. Breier.
Among the 1949 proposals there was one that was a truly heraldic
achievement: a shield with the five
Crusader crosses, lions as supporters and a lion crest. Also
a motto in Latin — Nisi Dominus Custodierit Civitatem.
The booklet claims that this proposal, by Ronald Bretton of
Halifax, England, is an expression of the symbolic meaning of
Jerusalem as a Holy City for all three religions (Judaism,
Christianity, Islam). They say that the lions are the Lions of
Judea. I disagree — lions are very common in heraldry, and
even if this is the Lion of Judea, where is the Moslem element?
This proposal made me laugh — it shows that the artist had a
good knowledge of heraldry and history — and lack of any
knowledge at all about modern Jerusalem, offering a Christian
symbol to a Jewish city (in 1949 Jerusalem was divided so the
emblem was for the Jewish part only). Heraldically, it is
impressive — I have seen the original at the City Archives.
Nahum Shereshevsky, 26 June 1999
The municipal emblem was published in the official gazette (Rashumot),
YP 633, 13 November 1958.
Dov Gutterman, 4 September 2001
The capital of Israel (670,000 inh. in 2003) and an holy site
to three religions.
Some sites describe the emblem of the city but mainly say the
same: The official
site report: "The emblem of the city of Jerusalem tell
the story of the early days of the State of Israel. Right after
the establishment of the state, a decision was made that the
emblem of the city of Jerusalem, as the capital of the State of
Israel, should reflects the city's special meaning for the Jewish
nation. At the first day od Adar 5710 (1950), the official emblem
of the Jerusalem the capital, was chosen and printed.
The chosen emblem make reference to the glory of the past of the
nation of Israel - the stone wall, as opposed to the olive
branches which introduce the hope and paces of peace of a capital
in a renewing state. The symbol of a lion, guarding the wall,
symbolize the linkage of the capital to Juda Tribe estate and
exists as one of the common Jewish symbols which had decorated
holy vessels and ornamental curtain and doors of the holy ark in
the synagogue....The designer was Eliyahu Koren."
See also: <siach.project.org.il>,
<www.waizmanschool.org.il>
and <www.jafi.org.il>.
The emblem appeared on a stamp
issued on 2 February 1966.
Dov Gutterman, 21 April 2005
![[Jerusalem (Israel), vertical variant]](../images/i/il-jer_v.gif)
image by Eugene Ipavec, 5 September 2007
The Jerusalem flag also appears in a semi-official celebratory
version, taller than it is wide, with the shield between two
vertical stripes.
M. Breier, 20 June 1999
I think the proportions are wrong. Jerusalem flag is really an
"emblem on national flag" and Israeli
vertical national flags are not 8:11 as the horizontal one
but 1:3 and more. If you want the GIF being proportional then it
should have a smaller emblem and thinner stripes.
Dov Gutterman, 23 June 1999
The image looks right in every detail, except these things
typically (though not necessarily) are much, much longer. Also, I
must reiterate, that as far as I know, they may have no more
official status than decorative party favours. I feel obliged to
report their existence chiefly because they are so commonplace.
Whether they have ever been formally recognized and quantified
– I do not know. I can say that I have found them hanging on
the walls of City Hall itself, so that is probably a strong
indicator that it receives, at least, tacit approval.
When it appears in the short form (1:3?), a typical
display is flying it paired, side-by-side, with top and bottom
edges run through with rods fastened to either side of a pole. In
such a manner, it is held erect throughout display, irrespective
of wind conditions. I'm sure there must be an obscure technical
term for this type of arrangement, perhaps a true vexillum?
When so displayed, it is as often from a streetlamp, telephone
pole etc. as it is from a proper flagpole.
M. Breier, 24 June 1999
I located a photo of a
table flag of Jerussalem. The photo came from the German
newspaper "Berliner Morgenpost"
from the 13rd February, 1997. The text under the photo is :
"Historisch bedeutungsvolle Sitzung in Jerusalem : Premier
Netanjahu und der Buergermeister der heiligen Stadt, Ehud
Olmert" ( Historically significant session in Jerusalem :
Prime minister Netanyahu and Ehud Olmart, the mayor of the holy
city).
With is known that the city flag of Jerusalem carries the
national background. Therefore, I have been surprised that the
table flag is divided into two strips. Does the mayor have,
possibly, own flag? Which flag is official? National background
or bicolore?
Jens Pattke, 20 November 2004
Neither. There are no official municipal flags in Israel, just
flags in use (de-facto), which means that they can use any
pattern they want.
It is not uncommon that desk flags and regular flags are
different. I got about 30 municipal desk flags and most of them
are different from the de-facto regular flags
Dov Gutterman, 20 November 2004
![[Municipality of Jerusalem (Israel)]](../images/i/il)jerus.gif)
image from wikipedia
