Sculpted bronze medal - Jonah
Eliezer Weishoff
Jonah the Prophet was commanded by G-d to go to Nineveh (northern Iraq), which was to be overthrown because of the sins of the people. He tried fleeing from his mission by boarding a boat bound for Tarshish (thought to be Spain today), in the opposite direction. A violent storm arose and after throwing overboard cargo in an attempt to save the boat, lots were cast in order to discover who was guilty of the storm. The lots fell on Jonah and he was thrown into the sea. G-d sent a big fish, as big as a whale, to save Jonah. The big fish swallowed him up and Jonah remained in the fish for three days and three nights. From the belly of the fish, he prayed to G-d. The fish spat him out on the shore and he understood that he had to fulfill his mission and go to Nineveh and through Jonah, Nineveh was saved.
