Monday, April 30, 2007

Isra-Reli

Isra-Reli jewish star israeli art
Israeli Star of David 2007 is the title of this work made by Tzfat Artist Reli Wasser, who sent me the following caption:
What makes up the Star of David?
No doubt that it is Jewish, but nowadays it is also Israeli…It is made of religion and secularism, army and death, separation and objection…the scar of the yellow star, sensitive stripes as background to all these feelings, even anger is legit.

Contact: RELI WASSER-ISRAELI ART
97277-3500880
Noam_art@netvision.net.il
All rights reserved to RELI WASSER

Ludmila Feigin

Ludmila Feigin Israeli art jewish star
Israeli artist, Ludmila Feigin, was born in Kazakhstan in 1960; started painting when she was 8 years old; came to Tzfat in 1992. She makes silk art, usually depicting Tzfat alleys and houses.
Works of Ludmila Feigin have been presented in a solo exhibition in the General Exhibition Art Gallery in Tzfat and in group exhibitions throughout Israel and the United States. Her works can also be found in private collections in the USA, Canada, Australia and Germany.
Here we see a Star of David in the window at the upper right side of the picture.
Contact Ludmila Feigin 972544524262
All rights reserved to Ludmila Feigin

Greco-Roman Six Pointed Stars

Greco-Roman Six Pointed StarsDr. Ze’ev Goldmann showed me a few amulets with the shape of six pointed stars in Erwin R. Goodenough’s monumental book, Jewish Symbols in the Greco-Roman Period, Volume three, Pantheon Books, 1953, New York. The photo in this case is taken from a drawing of A. F. Gori, thesaurus. Gemmarum Antiquarum, Florence, 1750., I, plates cxciii, cxciv. It is one of more than thousand charms and amulets in Goodenough’s book. It is one of few amulets on which six pointed stars appear.
We see it here three times on the obverse and five times on the reverse. Goodenough describes these as stars but doesn’t pay attention to the fact that these are SIX POINTED STARS. He says this amulet is “only possibly Jewish” but since there are a few more amulets with these Jewish stars from the Greco-Roman Period, we might conclude that Jews knew this shape in that period, which might be previous to other six pointed star artifacts that are mentioned in the history of this emblem.

Sunday, April 29, 2007

Dick Ben Dor, Frames

Dick Ben Dor, Frames magen David Israeli artPhoto is courtesy of Israeli painter Dick Ben Dor who was asked a few years ago to prepare drawings on Stars of David for an exhibition about Judaism Christianity and Islam which was supposed to take place abroad. After he prepared the frames for the pictures and the drawings he was notified that the exhibition was cancelled. In the meantime he discovered the artistic qualities of the frames themselves and introduced some of them as finished works. Here we see a work made only of frames in the size of meter and forty centimeters.
Email Dick Ben Dor: dbendor1@bezeqint.net
All rights on the above photo are reserved to Dick Ben Dor.

Why David?

The Shield of David is about protection. Charms and amulets are about protection. The Shield of David appears on Charms and amulets. Why David?
Erwin R. Goodenough in his monumental book, Jewish Symbols in the Greco-Roman Period, Volume two, Pantheon Books, 1953, New York, chapter six, p. 170 talks about Jewish charms and amulets, from Christian sources, where King David (also named Davithea) appears. Goodenough answers our question very elegantly:
Since David by his singing drove the evil spirit out of Saul (I Sam, xvi, 23) his appearance in such a role seems inevitable”.

A good example Goodenough brings for such an appearance of King David on a charm is from page 166:
I adjure thee today, Davithea
Thou who liest there upon the bed of the Tee of Life,
In whose right hand is the golden bell,
In whose left hand is the lyre of the spirit
When he gathers all the angles for the salutation of the Father.
I adjure thee today, Davithea, Eleleth,
In the name of the seven holy archangels,
Michael, Gabriel, Suriel, Raphael, Asuel, Sarapuel, Abael-
That is those who stand at the right hand of the Father…

Gershom Scholem, the authoritative researcher of the Star of David, wrote in the Encyclopedia Judaica:
In magical Hebrew manuscripts of the later Middle Ages, the hexagram was used for certain amulets…
but Goodenough shows that David is mentioned as a protector (without his shield) much earlier than “later Middle Ages”.

IMHO we can learn from Goodenough a very important lesson about the history and the meaning of the six pointed star: In the Greco-Roman Period the figure of King David was used as a protecting figure and only many hundred years later, in the Middle Ages, David the protector from the charms and amulets got his shield.

Star Of David Blue And White that Preceded the Israeli Flag

It is a well-known fact that the existence of the Magen David on the yellow patch in the period of the Holocaust was among the central reasons for its acceptance to the center of the Israeli flag. What is not so known, and to me at least was really shocking, is that the yellow patch was not uniform in all the places under the Third Reich regime and at least at the start there were a few blue Stars of David on a white arm band. It was somewhat like precursor of the Israeli flag. I wonder how such an important piece of information escaped the books that describe the development of the Israeli flag. IMHO we should make sure that future generations would know about it.
I found about this special badge on yadvashem site, where it says in Hebrew that on the first of December 1939 Hans Frank, Nazi governor in Poland, ordered the Jews to carry on their right sleeve and on their upper garment a white band and on it a blue Star of David. ten centimeters wide…In Lublin and in Zaglembie. From the 10th of July 1941 Jews in Bialistok had to wear on their right arm a white band and on it a blue Star of David

Saturday, April 28, 2007

Jacques Heller, Yellow Badge

Jacques Heller, Yellow Badge artDick Ben Dor sent me this photo of a Yellow Badge on a Star of David painting made by his good friend Jacques Heller, who gave or sold it to him. Jacques was active during WW2 in the French Resistance and helped Jewish kids cross the border from France to Spain. He fought in the Israeli Independence war. He is a renowned painter and his works are exhibited in many museums around the world.

Israel Miniature Art Society
President: Jacques Heller
WFM Liaison Officer: Erga Heller
4, Amal Street
53327 Givatayim
Israel
Fax: +972-3-5730497; Tel: +972-3-7322043
E-mail: ergah@bezeqint.net
All rights on the above photo are reserved to Dick Ben Dor.

The Protocols the Antichrist and the Hexagram

The Protocols the Antichrist and the HexagramFollowing our discussion about 666 My friend Craciun Lucian sent me the above photo along with other photos of book covers of the Protocols of the Elders of Zion and wrote to me:
And here is the proof: old photos of the Protocols of the Elders of Zion, dating from 1912 to 2005, most of which are associating the Jewish Hexagram with devil-symbols or death-symbols (the snake, skulls, blood, etc.) and making repeated references to the word Antichrist. The oldest photo, the one from 1912, has the two 'Seals of Solomon', (i.e., the Pentagram and the Hexagram), and under each one the words: "Pec'at' Antihrista", meaning "the Seal of Antichrist". (Above the Cross we see the words: "Symb[ol of ] Victory"). The words below I don't know what they mean... 


Reli Wasser, The Tree Of Life

Reli Wasser, The Tree Of Life magen David Israeli artPhoto is courtesy of Tzfat Artist Reli Wasser, who sent me the following caption:
Life resembles a giant tree that sends its roots into the earth and its branches into the skies, in a miraculous balance. In the same time it expresses good and evil, deep-routedness and loss, mercy and revolt. This special balance is symbolized by the Star of David, which dwells in the center of the Tree Of Life.
All rights on the above photo are reserved to RELI WASSER-ISRAELI ART
97277-3500880
Noam_art@netvision.net.il

Friday, April 27, 2007

Dick Ben Dor, Genesis, Photoshop

Dick Ben Dor, Genesis, Photoshop magen David Israeli art This is a summary (or an introduction) I made in Photoshop of Dick Ben Dor's series. Between the Stars of the six days of creation and the star of the seventh day there are hexagons and to me they look together like a white lily.
Email Dick Ben Dor: dbendor1@bezeqint.net
All rights on the above photo are reserved to Dick Ben Dor.

As Ancient As The Dinosaurs

As Ancient As The Dinosaurs Israeli art magen David
Israeli painter Dick Ben Dor told me that he made this work for an exhibition about animals and that he thought the Magen David is as ancient as the dinosaurs. The inner square is 10 X 10 cm. Dick Ben Dor defines his style as "abstract- figurative". He is also a member of the Miniaturists Organization. He told me, for instance, that another member of this organization had to take his works out of a matchbox in order to make an exhibition. To see more works of Dick Ben Dor click

Email Dick Ben Dor: dbendor1@bezeqint.net
All rights on the above photo are reserved to Dick Ben Dor.

Star of David incense


Photo is courtesy of The "Debrarian' who published it on Flickr and wrote to me:
I took this photo in Mexico City, in a huge indoor/outdoor market called Mercado de la Merced (Merced for short). It was in the section dedicated to healing, herbs, natural remedies, brujas and curanderos. I was tickled to discover a Star-of-David-themed incense. (What do you suppose it smells like?)
I have another question: What is the six pointed star doing on this product?
Anyhow - I like the colors...

Thursday, April 26, 2007

Miriam Mehadipur, Chanuka

Miriam Mehadipur, Chanuka Magen David israeli artSeven Magen Davids under a Chanuka candlestick in a work of Tzfat artist, Miriam Mehadipur, who sent me a few of her works in which the Star of David appear. This work is titled Chanuka
All rights on the above photo are reserved to Miriam Mehadipur.

Miriam Mehadipur, Shabat

Miriam Mehadipur, Shabat Magen David Israeli artPhoto is courtesy of Tzfat artist Miriam Mehadipur, who sent me a few of her works in which the Star of David appears. This work is titled Shabat.
Contact 972502444734
Address:
Rechov Tet Vav 10
Kiriyat Omanim,
Zefat, Israel
Tel: 972 4 6821732
Email: art@ein-noach.com

Harmony in Marriage

Harmony in Marriage art magen davidPhoto is courtesy of Miriam and Menachem Mehadipur, who live and create in Tzfat. Miriam sent me a few of her works in which the Star of David appear. Here it symbolizes Harmonious relationships between husband and wife.
Miriam was born in Holland, 1960 and came to Israel in 1999.
Contact 972502444734
Address:
Rechov Tet Vav 10
Kiriyat Omanim,
Zefat, Israel
Tel: 972 4 6821732
Email: art@ein-noach.com

Wednesday, April 25, 2007

Red Magen David

Red Magen DavidI went especially to take this photo of the huge sign on the Red Magen David building at the entrance to Jerusalem. It can be seen from every car that comes from the direction of Tel Aviv. It is part of the landscape for thousands of people every day. It is part of the unbelievable bombardment of this image (forget the color for a moment) on the inhabitants of this country; especially on Independence Day when our national emblem peeps from every flag from almost every building, from almost every car.

Obelisk Zodiac and Planets

Keena posted on 21-4-2004 the most simple explanation I ever read about the possible astronomical origin of Star of David (which he abbreviates to SOD- a word that in Hebrew means secret):
What I know of the Star of David is that it represented the solution to the Cosmic Equation regarding precise calendar orientation... 

If you want to know where the Taurus (The Bull) constellation is in the night sky, all you would have to do is stand on the patio stone of the Bull, and look at the point of the obelisk in the center, and you would see the bull... 

The other useful purpose of these zodiacs was to track the movement of the planets...The Star of David, two interposing triangle, super imposed on you zodiac, aligned on the rose, would tell you which stars to look at to determine (triangulate) exactly “When” you are in regard to the seasons (Earth Tilt). 

King Offa of Mercia

King Offa of Mercia hexagram

















Photo is courtesy of Shlomo Moussaieff, collector of Biblical archaeology. This coin had been minted by King Offa who was the King of Mercia from 757 until his death in 796.

To this period belong also Star of David on Sceattas:




Sceattas are small thick silver coins minted in England, Frisia (in the northwest of the Netherlands) and Jutland (in Denmark) during the Anglo-Saxon period (in the 5th to 11th centuries). Sceattas were mainly found in England and Frisia, but also in Denmark (Ribe) and Germany. 

Photo (Courtesy of Arie Marinus van Herwijnen owner of http://www.bonatiele.nl/) shows 7th/8th century Sceat.





Tuesday, April 24, 2007

Jewish Laces


Star of David Laces 
 Photographer: Nataxja Cini
(c) 2017
Thanks to Sabina Saad who sent me this photo


Picture of WHITE Laces in the shape of a Magen David and BLUE Converse is courtesy of "photographEcraZ"  who published this photo on Flickr and wrote to me:
I got the Idea for the pic after, of course, I was on flickr looking at pictures. I saw one on a girls profile that had a pair of pink Converse All Stars that had the laces in the shape of a heart. I thought I'd give it a shot and since my Converse were blue I had the perfect idea for it, a Star of David.

Holocaust Remembrance Day

Picture of part of a memorial at Congregation M'Kor Shalom (House of Peace) in Cherry Hill, NJ. is courtesy of "erglantz" who published it on Flickr. The following year I intend to publish here works of artists who deal with the Yellow Badge. This is one of the first items in my future collection.

King David and the Spider

Jenni Gottschalk is my favorite graphic artist. In this case she illustrated an ancient Jewish legend without even knowing it, which only proves my point, because when you make an excellent illustration it conveys more meanings than you intended to convey:
Retold by Aaron Zerah:
David decided to ask God about it. "Why, O Creator of the world, did you make spiders? You can't even wear their webs as clothing!"

God answered David, "A day will come when you will need the work of this creature. Then you will thank me." ...King Saul was jealous and afraid of David and sent his soldiers to kill him. David ran away to the wilderness. He hoped King Saul's fit of anger would pass and David would be safe to return. But King Saul's men kept chasing him.

At last, the soldiers were very close. David ran into a cave to hide. He heard the footsteps of the men and knew that they would soon find him. David was so afraid, his bones shook and hurt.

But then David saw a big spider at the front of the cave. Very quickly, it was spinning a web all the way across the opening. Just before the soldiers came up to the cave, the spider finished the web. As the men started to enter the cave, they ran into the web. "Look," they said, "This web is unbroken. If David were here, he'd have torn the web to pieces. He must be hiding somewhere else. Let's go!"

So because of the spider, David's life was saved. David understood that God was wise and thanked God for creating all the creatures, including the spiders.

In this Star of David work Jenni Gottschalk even makes it possible to think that the origin of the six-pointed star is this special spider web and it is destined to remind us to thank God for creating all the creatures, including the spiders.

Another meaning: the Star of David is a symbol of protection. King David is protecting those who read his Psalms, the Lord is protecting King David, the spider is protecting King David...the Lord is protecting King David and every creature on earth, including us.

Monday, April 23, 2007

Jenni Gottschalk

This Picture of the lion of Judea along with the Magen David was designed by Jennie Gottschalk as a suggestion for a congress of the descendants of King David.
The Picture is courtesy of Jennie Gottschalk
BTW, The Jewish Magazine presented recently a few of Jenni Gottschalk's graphic works.

Dick Ben Dor, Genesis, Seventh Day

Star of David in The Israeli Art Genesis-7This is the last painting in the Star of David series of The Seven Days Of Creation made by Israeli artist Dick Ben Dor.
See more works of Dick Ben Dor on

Email Dick Ben Dor: dbendor1@bezeqint.net
Thus the heavens and the earth were finished, and all the host of them. 2 And on the seventh day God finished his work that he had done, and he rested on the seventh day from all his work that he had done. 3 So God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on it God rested from all his work that he had done in creation.

Dick Ben Dor, Genesis, Second Day

Star of David in The Israeli Art Genesis-6 Photo is courtesy of Israeli painter Dick Ben Dor who made a series of seven paintings depicting the seven days of Genesis. Each painting is 70 centimeters high and made of 4 triangles: one big and three small.
Copyright: Dick Ben Dor 2008

Email Dick Ben Dor: dbendor1@bezeqint.net

And God said, “Let there be an expanse in the midst of the waters, and let it separate the waters from the waters.” And God made the expanse and separated the waters that were under the expanse from the waters that were above the expanse. And it was so. And God called the expanse Heaven. And there was evening and there was morning, the second day.

Sunday, April 22, 2007

Dick Ben Dor, Genesis, Fifth Day

Star of David in The Israeli Art Genesis-5A Star of David frame and on it a depiction of the fifth day of creation, made by Israeli painter Dick Ben Dor.
Copyright: Dick Ben Dor 2008
And God said, “Let the waters swarm with swarms of living creatures, and let birds fly above the earth across the expanse of the heavens.” So God created the great sea creatures and every living creature that moves, with which the waters swarm, according to their kinds, and every winged bird according to its kind. And God saw that it was good. And God blessed them, saying, “Be fruitful and multiply and fill the waters in the seas, and let birds multiply on the earth.” And there was evening and there was morning, the fifth day.

Email Dick Ben Dor: dbendor1@bezeqint.net

Dick Ben Dor, Genesis, Day Three

Star of David in The Israeli Art Genesis-4
Photo is courtesy of Dick Ben Dor who made seven paintings in order to depict the seven days of Genesis.
Copyright: Dick Ben Dor 2008
And God said, “Let the earth sprout vegetation, plants yielding seed, and fruit trees bearing fruit in which is their seed, each according to its kind, on the earth.” And it was so. The earth brought forth vegetation, plants yielding seed according to their own kinds, and trees bearing fruit in which is their seed, each according to its kind. And God saw that it was good. And there was evening and there was morning, the third day.


Email Dick Ben Dor: dbendor1@bezeqint.net

Dick Ben Dor, Genesis, Sixth Day

Star of David in The Israeli Art Genesis-3Photo is courtesy of Israeli painter Dick Ben Dor who made a series of seven paintings each depicts one of the seven days of Genesis. In these days the series is on its way to an art gallery in France.
And God blessed them. And God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth and subdue it and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over every living thing that moves on the earth.” And God said, “Behold, I have given you every plant yielding seed that is on the face of all the earth, and every tree with seed in its fruit. You shall have them for food. And to every beast of the earth and to every bird of the heavens and to everything that creeps on the earth, everything that has the breath of life, I have given every green plant for food.” And it was so. And God saw everything that he had made, and behold, it was very good. And there was evening and there was morning, the sixth day.

Email Dick Ben Dor: dbendor1@bezeqint.net

Saturday, April 21, 2007

Dick Ben Dor, Genesis, Day Four

Star of David in The Israeli Art Genesis-2Photo is courtesy of Israeli painter Dick Ben Dor who made a series of seven paintings depicting the seven days of Genesis.
And God said, “Let there be lights in the expanse of the heavens to separate the day from the night. And let them be for signs and for seasons, and for days and years, and let them be lights in the expanse of the heavens to give light upon the earth.” And it was so. And God made the two great lights—the greater light to rule the day and the lesser light to rule the night—and the stars. And God set them in the expanse of the heavens to give light on the earth, to rule over the day and over the night, and to separate the light from the darkness. And God saw that it was good. And there was evening and there was morning, the fourth day.

Copyright: Dick Ben Dor 2008
Email Dick Ben Dor: dbendor1@bezeqint.net

Dick Ben Dor, Genesis, Day One

Star of David in The Israeli Art Genesis-1Picture is courtesy of Israeli painter Dick Ben Dor who made a series of seven paintings depicting the seven days of Genesis.
1:1 In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. 2 The earth was without form and void, and darkness was over the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters.3 And God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light. 4 And God saw that the light was good. And God separated the light from the darkness. 5 God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. And there was evening and there was morning, the first day.

Copyright: Dick Ben Dor 2008

Dick Ben Dor, Hope

Star of David in The Israeli Art ExhibitionDr. Dalia Haker-Orion, who took part in the opening of the Star of David in The Israeli Art Exhibition in Yavne, about a month ago, referred me to the Israeli painter Dick Ben Dor. I contacted him and he told me that a few years ago he was asked to represent Israel in an art exhibition abroad, which was dedicated to the subject of the three monotheistic religions. He was asked to prepare some big paintings on Star of David frames. He looked for a carpenter who will prepare these frames for him but eventually had to make them himself. When he finished the paintings he got the announcement that the exhibition was canceled. Meanwhile people started reacting to the works and they were exhibited in a few places and next month some of these works will travel to a gallery in France.

Dick Ben Dor was born in 1936, Amsterdam, came to Israel in 1951 and studied at the Workshop of Motti Mizrachi and at the College of Painting and Sculpture in Ramat Gan.

The painting is titled Hope and it's size is 2.10 meters. It deals with the Holocaust.

Email Dick Ben Dor: dbendor1@bezeqint.net

Friday, April 20, 2007

Student Paper Cut Brown

Photo is courtesy of artist Zipora Ne'eman, who not only makes paper cuts but also teaches how to make them. Here we see a work of one of her students with a Star of David in the center encircled by six Menorahs. Copyright: Zipora Ne'eman 2007

Yaakov Ne'eman Ushpizin Paper Cut

Photo is courtesy of Zipora Ne'eman who learned the art of paper cut from her father in law, Ya’akov Ne’eman, who started making paper cuts in 1977 while he was 70 years old. He created about 600 original paper cuts in 12 years and is considered to be one of the gratest paper cut artists in the 20th century.

This paper cut is titled Ushpizin. The six sides of the Magen David symbolize the six Ushpizin:Abram, Isaac, Jacob, Moses, Aaron, Joseph. The Magen David in its entirety symbolizes the last Ushpizin – King David
Copyright: Zipora Ne'eman 2007
Email: Zipora_n@hotmail.com

Badges Worn In Nazi Concentration Camps

Yellow Badge Concentration CampsPhoto of the International Monument in Dachau concentration camp is courtesy of photomaven who published it on Flickr with the following caption:
These were the various symbols that residents of the camp wore to indicate who they were.

Thursday, April 19, 2007

Kabbalah Virtue

Kabbalah star of davidPhoto of Star of David Kabbalah Virtue is courtesy of Tzfat Artist Reli Wasser
O54-5950895
Noam_art@netvision.net.il

Tzfat Artists are known to be influenced by the Kabbalah and so is Reli. Virtu is called in Hebrew Segulah.

Psalms

Psalms israeli art jewish starArtist Reli Wasser has a special relationship with David’s Shield, which is attributed to King David, who is also considered to be the author of Psalms; that’s why Reli connected them both in this work.

Zaglembie Paper Cut

Star of David on a paper cut made by Zipora Ne'eman for the Organization of the Former Citizens of Zaglembie.Zaglembie is an area in South Poland in which there were a few cities. and in one of them, Bandin, lived Zipora's mother. 50,000 Jews from Zaglembie were murdered by the Nazis during the Holocaust.

Zipora Ne'eman
The Israeli center of paper cuts
Shderoth Halamed Hay 9,
Haifa, 32202 Israel
Tel: 972-4-8121036
cell: 972-52-2257676

Wednesday, April 18, 2007

O. J. Graham

I think that Six-Pointed Star: Its Origin and Usage by O. J. Graham is responsible for the spreading of the 666= Six-Pointed Star. The question is if he had previous sources to lean on. I read many articles that quote him...
There are 1,130,000 results in Google for six pointed star mark of the beast and 33,200 for six pointed star mark of the beast O. J. Graham

Alexander Mann told me that Yan Van Helsing wrote similar things in his second book, but this book was published in the 90th while O. J. Graham published his first edition (out of four) around 1983

:Read also
Conspiracy of the Six-Pointed Star: Eye-Opening Revelations and Forbidden Knowledge About Israel, the  Jews, Zionism, and the Rothschilds by Texe Marrs 432 pages, 2011, ISBN-10: 1930004575


P.S
Lucian Craciun comments
... and here is the proof: old photos of the  "Protocols of the Elders of Zion", dating from 1912
 to 2005, most of which are asociating the Jewish  Hexagram with devil-symbols or death-symbols (the  snake, skulls, blood, etc.) and making repeated  references to the word "Antichrist".  The oldest photo, the one from 1912, has the  two 'Seals of Solomon', (i.e., the Pentagram and the  Hexagram), and under each one the words: "Pec'at'
 Antihrista", meaning "the Seal of Antichrist". (Above the Cross we see the words: "Symb[ol of]
 Victory"). The words below I don't know what they  mean.

The Most Israeli Thing

Israeli art Jewish starPhoto is courtesy of Tzfat Artist Reli Wasser, who sent me the following caption:
The Star of David, the emblem of Judaism all along history; The work is composed of a small bottle of olive oil, olive tree chunks, pebbles and shells from the Kineret lake, the most Israeli thing, with a strong connection to the LAND. All within the frame of our symbol - so Jewish and so Israeli…

Influece

mandala Israeli art Jewish StarOfira Oriel got so excited from the Star of David Symposium in Yavne at the beginning of this month, that she ran home and made this new work. I already met a few artists who went through a similar process. I guess it has to do with the POWER of this ancient emblem.
In the center of this colorful Mandala we see three Hebrew letters: Mem Hey Shin which compose one of 72 names of the Lord. The kabala attributes to these combinations of letters virtues that help solve problems in various fields of life. Mem Hey Shin is supposed to help solve health problems.
Acrylic on Bristol paper 20x20

Anat Aderet

Yellow Badge poemPicture is courtesy of Anat Aderet who published this poem on her blog in the shape of a Magen David. Here is my translation:
I am a descendent of a Jewish family who lived in the Diaspora. Both my grandmothers were exterminated in the Holocaust. My daughter asks: "mother, have you been born in the destruction of the second Temple or in the Holocaust". “No”, I answer her. “ I was born in Israel and I am a Jewess, and I am an Israeli and I am a link in a chain, and I am the continuation, the next generation, and it is a mission, after 2000 years of Diaspora, and what really matters is that after all I am here, somehow".

The frame is my addition and it was made in Photoshop. I introduced the yellow color in order to hint at the Yellow Badge.

Tuesday, April 17, 2007

Reli Wasser- Dwelling Place For Peace

Peace Jewish star Israeli artPicture is courtesy of Tzfat Artist Reli Wasser who loves the Magen David and integrates it in many of her works. Here we see the Star of David as a main object and in it we see a chamsa with a blessing of the house.

Flower Of Life

Flower Of Life hexagramPicture is courtesy of Andrew Monkman who wrote to me:
I would appreciate your opinion on this symbol. It may be the root of your work! Thank you in advance.
From Andrew Monkman,Kirkwall,Orkney islands,Scotland.
I told him:

Dear Andrew Monkman,
Thanks for asking, but I know almost nothing about ancient (sacred) geometry so I don't know what do you expect me to tell you. I heard about the Flower Of Life, Merkaba Meditation, Drunvalo Melchizedek etc. but I have no tools to judge it. I'm interested in the origin of the Magen David and its various manifestations, but I didn't delve into the subject of flower of life and sacred geometry.

And then he wrote to me:
The Star of David originates from this symbol! If you contemplate the symbol - answers will appear.

We Shall Never Forget

Yellow Badge Israeli artTzfat Artist Reli Wasser is connected to the Star of David and that’s why it appears so much in her works. I met her in the beginning of this month at the Magen David symposium in Yavne, where some of her Magen David works were exhibited at the entrance to the hall. This work is called “We Shall Never Forget”, and it deals with the Yellow Badge. It is published here a day after Yom haShoah Ve'Hagvura, Remembrance day for The Holocaust and Heroism.

Monday, April 16, 2007

Bless This Business

An elegant ceramic Bless-This-Business (Birkat Haessek, in Hebrew) pendant on a white Star of David within another Star of David decorated with colorful small glasses. 
The more I learn about the six- pointed star the more I get convinced that it is about protection. I think the translation of Magen David into Shield of David is only one possible translation. I prefer to translate it into David’s PROTECTOR, and David's protector is God. These are quite contrary interpretations since the shield points at the military gear while the protector points at the spiritual source of strength.

Also, we find many hexagrams on city walls, like the Ottoman walls that surround the old city in Jerusalem. Walls are physical protectors and those kings who embedded hexagrams in them, all along history, tried to answer the question who will protect the protectors?

Tel Aviv Towers

Magen Davids appear on the facade above the entrance to the Tel Aviv Towers, a complex of four high-end residential towers, each 34 stories high. The Tel Aviv Towers were built by Riskin Architects who probably designed these beautiful modernistic styled Stars of David.

Israeli Tourist Car


A Magen David above the Israeli Tourist Ministry logo on a car licensed to transport tourists. The brilliant logo is based on the verse from Numbers 13:23
And they came to the Valley of Eshcol and cut down from there a branch with a single cluster of grapes, and they carried it on a pole between two of them; 

Since the logo is based on circles and triangles the Magen David addition fits in so well that those who do not recognize the original logo don't even notice it.

Sunday, April 15, 2007

Rif Flag

Rif Flag HexagramSergio Camero reports this Flag of the 2nd Company, 2nd Regiment of Regulares Infantry Rif of the Spanish Armed Forces. The Rif War lasted from 1921 to 1927.










                           Rif bank note


Fish Scale Coin

Fish Scale Coin hexagram
The smallest coin ever made by the United States Mint was nicknamed "fish scale." The main design featured a six-pointed star behind a shield...Reverse: The Roman numeral III sits inside a large "C," meaning "3 cents."
[surrounded by stars some of which are six-pointed]

Orphaned Land

I already wrote in this blog a few times about attempts to deal with uniting the main monotheistic religions. It is the most obvious solution for those who preach for stopping wars, because one of the main reasons wars occur is the friction between these religions. What is worth paying attention is that the Magen David finds its way to these attempts. E.g.
Orphaned Land is a Progressive metal band from Israel whose music contains Middle-Eastern influences. Their album "Mabul" tells the Story of the Three Sons of Seven (one son for each monotheistic religion) who try to warn humanity of a coming flood as punishment for their sins. Eventually they fail since the people refuse to listen to them and the flood comes to be.
The first son bore a Star of David upon his crest.

Saturday, April 14, 2007

Irish Star of David Lapel Pin

Picture is courtesy of danielgreene who published it on Flickr. I like this design: it looks as if the Star of David is part of a flower; which brings us back to Uri Ofirs' research about the influence of the white lily on its original creation.

Irish Jew T-shirt

Picture of Jewish star T-shirt and Shamrock together is courtesy of "danielgreene" who published it on Flickr.

Lampshade

Picture is courtesy of sue jan who published it on Flickr. I like this design and hope to get some details about the materials and where can one buy it . Pay attention to the small red Star of David in the center of the big one.
P.S
Today I got the following email from sue jan:
nope.. i didn't make it. bought it from IKEA. think its
made out of wood if i'm not mistaken. :)