A Story Told In Parts

First there was the Hebrew slogan (long live Israel= Am Israel Hai)
Then the artist added the word "beseret" (in a movie)
and now he added the word Ra (bad). Maybe he didn't want to repeat himself ( too boring). Anyhow now we have the Star of David in blue color which says in lines what the blue letters of the slogan say in words- and then we have in black an addition that contradicts the slogan :if we live in a bad movie life is not worth.
Designer Hayim Shtayer took many pictures of graffiti during Second Lebanon War in 2006 in Tel Aviv. These photos are presented now in a batch on
http://www.flickr.com/photos/zeevveez/sets/72157602312412220/
Copyrights: Hayim Shtayer 2007

Added Question Mark

Designer Hayim Shtayer took many pictures of graffiti in Tel Aviv during Second Lebanon War in 2006 . These photos are presented now in a batch on
http://www.flickr.com/photos/zeevveez/sets/72157602312412220/
To the slogan Long Live Israel (= Am Israel Hai) the artist added in red a question mark and the meaning of the slogan changed so drastically that it's actually got the opposite meaning: hey, we're dying here!
Copyright: Hayim Shtayer 2007

USA Hanukkah Stamp

Stars of David on 2002 USA first day envelope Hanukkah stamp, which is part of a series of stamps honoring Muslim, Jewish and African-American holidays. These post office stamps recognize religious diversity of America.

Living in a Movie

Designer Hayim Shtayer took many pictures of graffiti during Second Lebanon War in 2006 in Tel Aviv. These photos are presented now in a batch on
http://www.flickr.com/photos/zeevveez/sets/72157602312412220/
To the slogan Long Live Israel= Am Israel Hai the artist added in red the Hebrew word for "Movie" and the word Zion. The tone is the message:
Reality is so bad that it looks like a nightmare...
Copyrights: Hayim Shtayer 2007

The Mood of the Nation-22

Designer Hayim Shtayer took many pictures of graffiti during Second Lebanon War in 2006 in Tel Aviv. These photos are presented now in a batch on
http://www.flickr.com/photos/zeevveez/sets/72157602312412220/
They capture the contrast between the slogan (long live Israel= Am Israel Hai) and the business as usual ambiance. Above the caption there's a blue Star of David, which strengthens and stands for the words Am Israel in the slogan.
Copyright: Hayim Shtayer 2007

The Mood of the Nation C-1

Designer Hayim Shtayer took many pictures of graffiti during Second Lebanon War in 2006 in Tel Aviv. These photos are presented now in a batch on
http://www.flickr.com/photos/zeevveez/sets/72157602312412220/
They capture the contrast between the slogan (long live Israel= Am Israel Hai) and the business as usual ambiance. Above the caption there's a blue Star of David, which strengthens and stands for the words Am Israel in the slogan.
Copyright: Hayim Shtayer 2007

National Pride

From designer Hayim Shtayer's collection of Jewish New Year Cards.
Star of David on a Torah-Crown above the portrait of General Moshe Dayan, army corps, flowers.
Today such a militaristic design would be considered politically incorrect but in the first days of Israel it made people proud of their country. I wonder what can make Israelis proud of their country nowadays.

Torah Cover

From designer Hayim Shtayer's collection of Jewish New Year Cards. Star of David on a Torah Cover discovers a typical religious function of the Jewish Star, which has many other functions. The card is out of fashion, and it evokes pleasant childhood memories...

Haifa is Strong -3

Blue on white Star of David (which looks as a flower) on a Hebrew sticker that says: Haifa is Strong.
Date: 18.8.06 -during Second Lebanon War in 2006.
Photo shot by Hayim Shtayer
Copyright: Hayim Shtayer 2007

Adi Vardi - IDF Stamp

Suggestions to change Israel’s emblem that were designed in 2001 by first and second year students in Wizo Design Academy in Haifa guided by Hayim Shtayer and Terry Schreuer; courtesy of Hayim Shtayer.
Designer: Adi Vardi
Copyright: Adi Vardi 2007
This form of a triangle is recognized by Israelis as the IDF Stamp, which means that the flying dove of peace is a joke... we are too militaristic for that.

Non-Jewish Tombstone -1

We, Jews, tend to think that, in general, the Star of David is “ours”; and that, in particular, the Star of David on tombstones in “ours”. But here’s an example of one that is engraved on a non-Jewish tombstone.
Photo is courtesy of Gora Gray who published it on Flickr
under the title: "Thomas Cummins, died 1843 - Plympton St Mary, Plymouth"
Gora Gray wrote in the caption:

The 'G' in the centre of the Star of David means 'GOD' - its a masonic symbol...Thomas was living at Union Street in Plymouth in 1841 .

To be more exact this symbol is called by the Free Masons Solomon's Seal, since King Solomon is considered to be the first Free Mason...

Non-Jewish Tombstone -2

We, Jews, tend to think that, in general, the Star of David is “ours”; and that, in particular, the Star of David on tombstones in “ours”. But here’s an example of one that is engraved on a non-Jewish tombstone.
Photo is courtesy of Webrarian who published it on Flickr
and wrote in the caption:

Pillars, arches, Star of David, the letter G, the TH monogram - how many masonic symbols have I missed?. BTW The 'G' in the centre of the Star of David means 'GOD' - its a Masonic symbol.

Aviation in Israel Stamp

Winged Star of David on the tab as well as on the wing of the airplane in the body of the stamp.
Desined by Paul Kor in 1959 for the 10th year of civil aviation in Israel

UJA Stamp

Star of David made from the roots of a tree in an original design by Imanuel Blaushield
The stamp was issued in 1978.

Yizhak Gruenbaum Stamp

Black Star of David on white background. Caption on tab: 1879-1970
Yizhak Gruenbaum was the first interior minister of Israel and a leader of the Zionist movement in Poland.
The stamp was issued in 1980; Designed by Mordechai Krop.

Triangle and Heart

Magen David made from a triangle and a heart inside the Israeli flag along with the famous Srulik caricature which stands for the Israelis
Copyright: Hayim Shtayer 2007

The Grave of Muhammad Ali of Eqypt

Photo is courtesy of "hannah*mccann" who published it on Flickr and who wrote to me the following:

Muhammad Ali is regraded as the founder of modern Egypt. Muhammad Ali died on the 2nd of August 1849, and, ultimately, was buried in the imposing mosque he had commissioned in the Citadel of Cairo. I also think that the wrestler is named after him.

I think the info about Muhammad Ali the heavy weight boxing world champion is cool.

Yom Hazikaron Stamp

Photo is courtesy of my favorite graphic designer nzdzeni who published it on Flickr and who wrote in the caption:

This is the final image in the stamp series. Ironically it will feature first on my blog as its message is to remember Israel's fallen soldiers and civilian victims of terror. Thanks again to Ze'ev for his help with the Hebrew and to Becky Liao for supplying me with the correct Chinese ideogram.

Pillow

Photo is courtesy of gimpykatk who published it on Flickr where you can follow the instructions and knit one for yourselves...
gimpykatk wrote to me:

I have just started out designing pictures to be knitted on dishcloths, and it was requested that I make a Star of David. I struggled with this for a couple weeks, trying and failing. Then as I was praying one night I clearly saw the pattern and was immediately able to graph it out. I believe it was God who gave me the ability to see this. I am a Christian, but by saying that, I believe I am a Jew by adoption. I believe Jesus was a Jew and I as a Gentile receiving Him became a Jew by adoption.

Merkabah At Night

Photo of Merkabah At Night is courtesy of The Passing Strange who published it on Flickr and who wrote to me the following:

I am living in Israel right now, and went to a concert of an older folk musician. His name is Schlomo Bar. It was on a settlement called Kadita. A small concert, but a very nice vibe. The stage was set up with this giant star of David hanging over it.

Creative Glass Work

Photo is courtesy of CreationsInGlass who published it on flickr and who wrote to me the following:

My Mom & I work together to sell handmade stained and fused glass pieces- Mom makes the pieces and I help her to sell them, she made the Star of David as a custom request several years ago, and it has been popular so each year she makes more to sell on her website.

Without this explanation I don't know how many of you could know what we see here...Anyhow it looks cool!

Dead Hitler Pumpkin

Photo is courtesy of Jakub Toborek who published it on Flickr and who was kind enough to answer my question about the story behind it:

The story seems to be one of silliness, rather than anything else. At a pumpkin carving party for holloween the latecomer didn't have any ideas, they decided on the symbol in order to "stick it to Hltler", which made an appearance as a shot in the head pumpkin. The two people involved I had never met before, though they were some of the friendliest, as well as a strangest, people I had ever met.

Star of Jesus

Photo of Star of David composed by the letters of the word Jesus is courtesy of Shellac Fanatic who published it on Flickr and who wrote to me that he went to a

local church. One of the minister's wives was wearing that necklace. It was so unusual that I had to snap a photo. She bought it in Israel, in Bethlehem.

Sunset Over Lake Massabesic, New Hampshire

Photo of the sun in the shape of the Star of David is courtesy of "Enamored_With_Horses" who published it on Flickr.
Another Flickr member called "snowowl81" referred me to this photo.
A year ago I saw a similar photo of the sun above a Nazi concentration camp, which has another meaning but couldn't contact the owner of the copyrights...

Bulgarian Jews

Photo of 1939  Bulgarian Jews (in front of the Synagogue of Svistov - town on the Danube River) holding a Star of David sign is courtesy of Stephanie Comfort who published it on Flickr 

P.S.

I got an interesting letter from Stephanie and she let me quote it here:

This last May was my 28th trip to Israel. I have only missed one year since '77 .... I was in Eilat when Sadat came. I used to work with the late Yigael Shiloh at the City of David Dig from '81 thru '84 and then at Tel Dora with Prof. Efraim Stern for 4 yrs. while studying in the Summers with Prof. Jim Fleming of Hebrew U. I, also, used to lead tours (as a volunteer for the Zionist Org. of America) to Israel for several Summers. This May I'm bringing 15 or 16 friends with us for your 60th - arriving on the 14th of May. My first Israeli postcards were purchased about 20 yrs. ago in a box of 100 from the Museum of the Diaspora. At about the same time the Museum had a show of photos of the Jews of Kaifeng, China which began my interest in Jews from all over the World. My first stereoviews were purchased about 15 yrs. ago in Tel Aviv in a used book store on Allenby (I now have over 9,000 with sets of Palestine/Israel) - my neighborhood there was around the new Opera House building.

Two Symbols Together For The First Time

Photo of hexagram on the famous cap of Che Guevara is courtesy of shbnggrth who wrote to me that:

Che Guevara has become larger than life. Shirts, books, movies, his face is everywhere. He is idolized and revered, yet people who he sent to jail in Cuba are still there. He was a murderer, but people don't WANT to see this. His face has become a capitalist tool, which was what he was against! Talk about turning in your grave. The icons used on his hat are symbols of things he stood against. Just like his face been used for what he stood against!

When two symbols appear together for the first time, like Che Guevara with the Star of David - it makes you think.

One of Nine

Photo of a yellow Star of David is courtesy of Muiz Brinkerhoff who published it on Flickr  and who wrote to me:

This is a photo of a Star of David in stained glass, which I made several years ago, size approximately 9 inches by 12 inches. It is part of a set of 9 pieces, each containing a symbol from a World Religious tradition, which a friend of mine commissioned me to make for him.

This is another proof for using this emblem as THE EMBLEM of Judaism.

Abstract Star of David

Photo is courtesy of Fat Cat Glassworks who wrote to me:

I am a glass fusing artist and I was showing my sister how to make a Star of David. Once in the kiln is shifted slightly and I thought it looked really cool, but because it was not lined up perfectly, I called it abstract.

Baptist Cathedral

Photo is courtesy of idyllopus who published it on Flickr and who wrote to me:

I have no knowledge of the history of the church, which looked like it had been closed a while and was in great disrepair. We had gone to Macon, Georgia to visit the Ocmulgee Indian Mounds and were driving down the highway toward the mounds when I saw out the corner of my eye, down a side street, the Star of David. After visiting the mounds we went back in search of the street so I could take a photo. I don't know the name of the street but if one is approaching from Interstate 75, it is located to the right, off Highway 80 (Emery Highway), within perhaps 3/4's of a mile (?) of the park entrance. The church is about a 1/2 block down that side street.

My guess is that the Baptists bought the place from a Synagogue and then left it...

Israel Independence Stamp -2

This Star of David picture is courtesy of my favorite graphic artist Jennie Gottschalk who lives in New Zealand. Jennie published it on Flickr and wrote in the caption:

This is the second in my "stamp" series created to celebrate Israel's 60th anniversary. The text on the doves is the Israeli national anthem in Hebrew and English. You may need to view this image in large size to read the text.

Jew Power Graffiti

Photo of Star of David Jew Power Graffiti is courtesy of Orin Optiglot who published it on Flickr.
This is the first time I see this kind of graffiti. I believe I'll see many more in the future. But who's behind it? and what does it mean?

Yaacov Agam Independence Stamp

Yaacov Agam (born in 1928) designed this stamp for Israel's 35th Independence Day. Yaacov Agam is an Israeli kinetic artist painter and sculptor. There are many Stars of David in his works of art that I'd like to publish but it is hard to find him to get his permission.

Archaeology Stamp

Solomon’s seal on the walls of Jerusalem, which were built by Sultan Suleiman the Magnificent between 1535-1538
The stamp was issued on
01/01/1986
Designed by Eliezer Weidhoff

Paul Konewka, silhouette

German Artist Paul Konewka (1840- 1871) made this silhouette standing on a hexagram (and many more) for William Shakespeare’s Henry IV book/ 
Photo is courtesy of Stephanie Comfort who published it on Flickr

Mark Podwal Passover Plate

Photo is courtesy of Mark Podwal who wrote to me:

A ceramic plate that was produced and sold by the Metropolitan Museum of Art. The plate reproduces Podwal's painting Seder from the Met's collection. The plate is no longer available.

Copyrights: Mark Podwal 2007

Mark Podwal, Prague

This Star of David work art picture is courtesy of artist Mark Podwal
On February 17, 2006 Benedicta Cipolla wrote about the latest exhibition of author and illustrator Mark Podwal at the Yeshiva University Museum in New York. The exhibition includes drawings for Elie Wiesel's book about the Golem. In order to finish this project Podwal traveled 8 times to Prague and started working also with the Jewish Museum there. Now he's doing a print and a poster to commemorate the museum's 100th anniversary:

Podwal chose the Star of David as the basis for the design, since Prague was the first Jewish community to identify itself with the six-pointed shape. At each point of the star are four of the city's synagogues, the Prague tombstone of 16th-century Jewish scholar David Gans, and the Prague Jewish community's special flag…

Podwal is a nonobservant Jew who draws almost exclusively on Judaism in his art.

Trinidad, Port of Spain

Photo of Star of David in Trinidad is courtesy of freelance journalist Barry Yeoman, who published it on Flickr.

The reasons for the appearance of the six pointed star in Trinidad are:
1. in the 1930s Trinidad was a British colony and a British Colonel was transferred from Palestine to Trinidad. He was not Jewish, but he probably saw it in Palestine and decided to adopt it for the Trinidad Police force.
2. Others believe it was a talisman that brought good luck and that's why it was chosen.

Using Jewish Symbols To Convert Jews

Photo is courtesy of freelance journalist Barry Yeoman who published it on Flickr with the following caption:

Berkmans is the senior pastor of Hope of Israel Messianic Congregation in Brooklyn's Brighton Beach neighborhood. One affiliated with the Russian Community Life Center, it is now a freestanding operation in a separate building. It uses Jewish symbols to reach Russian immigrants with a Christian message. See Messianics Rising, JTA, Nov. 15, 2007

I read this article and it is shocking to understand that in addition to those who want to eliminate the Jews physically there are so many evangelicals who’s aim in life is to convert them.

Esprit De Corps

Photo was taken by designer Hayim Shtayer.
Many small yellow Stars of David decorating what looks like a military badge hung over a cloths' shop.
Copyright: Hayim Shtayer 2007

Second Channel T.V.

Star of David in the Israeli Second Channel T.V.
Copyright: Hayim Shtayer 2007

Israeli Shop

Designer Hayim Shtayer shot this photo. What do we see here? The word Israel on a Star of David in a shop. Who put it there? Why?
Copyright: Hayim Shtayer 2007

Hebrew Alphabet, Tree Of Life and the Star Of David

Drawing was made by Randy from Oklahoma who wrote to me:
A friend of mine from ten years ago gave me some notes on Hebrew and Kabbalah and one-page talks about the Hebrew alphabet as a timeline of Biblical events. For example, Aleph is Adam and is at the beginning of mankind's history and Tau is at the end which represents the final judgement. Then I noticed that there are 22 letters in the Hebrew alphabet and 11 spots on the tree of life. So, as a challenge I thought to split the alphabet and try to pair each letter, one letter from each list, according to its meaning and then attempt to place them in the right spots on the tree. Then I superimposed the tree of life over the star of David and got better results. For example, mem is in the second half of the alphabet which means water and is in the meridian of time and represents Christ/ Messiah/Jehovah (without water there is no life and Christ/Messiah/Jehovah is the life and light of the world) and tet looks like a snake and the snake traditionally has been Satan. I placed these in the center of the Tree of Life which in turn is in the center of the Star of David which in turn is the heart of man where good and evil resides. It is something you have to see to truly understand what I did. I am not sure what purpose this has but every time I work on this I learn something new. I learned a while ago that the 12 precious stones on the breastplate of Aaron represents the twelve tribes of Israel and each tribe was assigned a letter of the alphabet. When I placed each tribe on the tree it nearly matched what I previously did on the tree. At the time I did this I had very little knowledge of Hebrew and only had his notes and a Hebrew dictionary to work with. I just took his research and expanded it. I am not sure if this has ever been done before but I hope someone can take an interest in it and continue the research.

Iris Yehezkel, An Eye Watches Towards Zion

Photo of Stars of David with a bird is courtesy of artist Iris Yehezkel who was born in Israel on June 24 1969, and is
Married + 3 children
See:
www.2all.co.il/Web/Sites/iris/PAGE2.asp
Copyright: Iris yehezkel 2007
Iris wrote to me:

When I hear the words Magen David it reminds me of our national anthem and I feel pride and belonging to the chosen people. Our people suffered expulsion, anti-Semitism and had to wander around the world –these causes brought about the endless longing for the Land. Even though we got a Land, eventually, we remained a wandering people and that’s why the Stars of David fall like tears

Protest

Red Star of David under a Hebrew (vegetarian?) black on black sticker protesting against eating meat.
Copyright: Hayim Shtayer 2007

The Star of The Whole Wide World

Star of David in the center of a furniture shop sign. At first sight it looks like the Israeli flag but there the star is blue and the background is white and here we see another version. The caption under the flag is: “importing furniture from the whole wide world”. It seems that unconsciously the designer of this sign hit a nerve- the Star of David was used by everybody, or as the sign says: by "the whole wide world".
Copyright: Hayim Shtayer 2007

Background Pattern

On the background of this poster we see a yellow pattern of Star of David & Herzl. The poster is an invitation to a party (in Israel). It shows that the national emblem (and the founder of the nation) are popular. They do not serve only the government and the official needs - they also speak to the people and are handy in everyday life.
Copyright: Hayim Shtayer 2007

12th Maccabiah 1985 Stamp

Interestingly stylized Stars of David on the tabs of the three stamps of the 12th Maccabiah. Designed by Zvi Rozanberg.

70th anniversary of JDC Stamp

A square made from blue Stars of David and hearts alternately. Designed by Arye Hecht in 1984
JDC (American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee) is a Jewish American charity organization.

70th anniversary of Hadassah

Five figures stand on a platform shaped as a colorful Star of David, one of them is a nurse with a red Magen David on her cap. Designed by Gideon Sagi in 1982.