Lemba

Steve Jones wrote in his book (" in the Blood: God, Genes and Destiny" 1996, Harper Collins, London. ISBN 0-00-255511-5]) that the Lemba people in the northern part of South Africa and the south of Zimbabwe,

 

"Have clear Jewish elements: Lemba do not eat pork (hence the name: the 'people who refuse'), are circumcised and often use biblical names such as Solomon. They lay claim to a secret language, Hiberu. The Star of David and 'elephant of Judah' are everywhere in their homes".

 

Jay Sand wrote  an article about "The Jews of Africa" where he mentions that the flag of the Lemba features a Star of David and the Elephant of Judah.

 

The Star and the Flag

Gershom Scholem wrote an article about the Star of David where he said that 

"There is no reason to assume that it was used for any purposes other than decorative".

Uri Ofir wrote a research about the origin of the Jewish Magen David where he said:

"I didn't like the scholarly version presented by Gershom Sholem that every nation needs an emblem and that's why we adopted the Magen David (Star of David). Actually he didn't suggest any solution as regards the origin of the Magen David (Star of David). Beyond that I was convinced that on the level of values it's impossible to educate on the basis of opinions such as this".

These two excerpts led me to assume that Gershom Scholem didn't like the fact that the Star of David was chosen for the Israeli flag but then I found an article by Mark Verstandig who wrote :

"Gershom Scholem, the great Jewish scholar JUSTIFIED choosing the Star of David for the Israeli flag because the Jews were murdered under this sign. This sign has been sanctified by suffering and has become worthy of illuminating the path to life and reconstruction".

I think that the place of the Star of David is on the Israeli flag due to three main reasons:

1. The holocaust (as Gershom Scholem thought)

2. Its origin from the tabernacle Menorah (as Uri Ofir thinks)

3. Most of the Israelis think that's the place where it should be!

Hanging the Israeli Flags on My Balcony

I never felt the need to hang these white flags with their blue Stars of David on my balcony, although I was born the same year the state of Israel was born. I remember kids who were born the same DAY the state of Israel was born who were invited to the presidents' house on Independence Day – and I'm sure they all hang the flags without thinking about it too much; They and their children and their grandchildren. Not thinking too much was the reason I didn't hang the flag for so many years – there was no need to change my habits.
This year is different – I have this blog, which delves into the deep mysteries of the Star of David, and I follow the meaningful history of this symbol through the ages. I guess that's why I found myself joyfully hanging the Israeli flags on my balcony this morning. Maybe my next generations will hang it too - because of me...

Israeli car

Picture of a Magen David on a car is courtesy of Seth J. Frantzman from Flickr who shot it at New Acre. The owner of the car expresses his ardent patriotism, but you can write a nice film script about the drama that happens when he tries to sell this car to an Arab Israeli neighbor...

Shadow of a Star

Photo of the shadow of the gates to Europe's largest synagogue in Budapest, Hungary, courtesy of "fil himself" from Flickr who wrote to me the following":

When we arrived at the synagogue, it was closed, but looking around the outside of the building was amazing, especially when you remember how much the Jews suffered during the Nazi, and the Soviet, occupations. It was approaching evening, and the gates of the synagogue cast this shadow onto one of the pillars, and it was just a good, candid opportunity to capture this ubiquitous symbol of the Jewish faith.

The Da Vinci Code

I guess many people heard about the Star of David for the first time in The Da Vinci Code, a novel written by American author Dan Brown, published in 2003 . Many more saw it in a different light after reading Brown's explanation of the Star of David as the blade and the chalice ... the perfect union of male and female ... Solomon's Seal ... representing the male and female deities.

            (Bantam p.446, ISBN 0385504209).

The book was sold in more than 40 million copies and has been translated into 44 languages.

 Most visitors to Rosslyn Chapel near Edinburgh Scotland are readers of this novel. 

They read that beneath the Chapel there is a “massive subterranean chamber”, with a Star of David engraved on its floor, and they have difficulties accepting the fact that this floor is covered by a red covering with no trace of their desired symbol.

It seems that fiction is stronger than reality…

  

Pathans

Rabbi Marvin Tokayer wrote that the Pathans believe they are of the Lost Tribes,  and that the Star of David is found in almost every Pathan house. The rich make it out of expensive metals and the poor out of simple wood. He saw it at least 20 times. In Minerajan he saw it on a school door and in the stone above that door. The Pathans are about 15 million people living in Pakistan Afghanistan Persia and India.