Tel Aviv Centenary

TEL AVIV CENTENNIAL
State Medal 2009/5770

Tel Aviv-Yafo, situated on the Mediterranean coast, is the metropolis of Israel with a population of about 392,000, the second largest in Israel. It is the Israel center of trade, culture, communication and banking, where the Stock Exchange, international embassies, Israel's largest newspapers, National Habimah Theater and Philharmonic Orchestra are located. The White City of Tel Aviv with its Bauhaus archictecture was recognized in 2003 as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Yafo was one of the ancient port cities of the world and it was here where the city of Tel Aviv-Yafo began. Yafo is mentioned several times in the Bible. Throughout history, it served as the maritime entrance to the Land of Israel. During the 19th century, Jewish inhabitants began to settle in the city and built new neighborhoods outside the Arab City of Yafo.

Tel Aviv was officially founded in 1909, when the "Ahuzat Bayit" (Homestead) garden suburb was established. A year later, in 1910, the new city was named Tel Aviv. Within four decades, the new city had grown to several times the size of Yafo. In 1949, after the establishment of the State of Israel, the municipalities of the two cities merged and became the Tel Aviv-Yafo Municipality, which took over the direction of the united city.

The "Tel Aviv Centennial" State Medal design is inspired by the biblical verse "Again I will build you and you shall be built" (Jeremiah 31) and portrays the beginnings of Tel Aviv in contrast to the new modern city of today. The medal is a tangible representation of the city's heritage and the advanced, innovative urban lifestyle of today.

Obverse: The colorful logo of the Tel Aviv Centennial celebrations and the Tel Aviv City Hall in Bialik Street, one of the most important buildings in the city, built in 1924.

Reverse: The modern Tel Aviv skyline viewed from the shore, showing a variety of the new buildings and coastline with sailing boats. The lower part of the design depicts the famous historic picture of the plots of land being drawn by lots.

Edge: Smooth

Designer: Igal Gabay