Third Israel Festival

The Third Israel Festival
Official Award Medal, 5723-1963

The third Israel Festival opened at the Binyane Haooma in Jerusalem on the 16th of July, 1963. As in previous years, guests from many lands participated in staging the event, but on this occasion the main aim was to stress the Israeli-Jewish character of the Festival. Biblical themes dominated the musical presentations from around the world and a special evening was devoted to cantorial and other Jewish religious music.

Obverse: In the center, to the left, a Hebrew inscription, "The Israel Festival, 5723". To the right, the Festival emblem. Beneath, in smaller letters, in one line, the inscription in English.

Reverse: From top to bottom, three incuse asymetrical squares. In relief, figures of musical instruments, a theatrical mask and ballet shoes. (Beneath, to the left, within an incuse square, an inscription in English, "Presented by the Prime Minister's Office". Two hundred medals are thus in¬scribed.)

Edge: The State emblem and on the side an inscription "State of Israel" in Hebrew and English.

Designer: Miriam Karoli.

Engraving: Kretschmer.

Mint: Kretschmer.