Sculptural Banknote
Twenty New Sheqalim - Moshe Sharett
Moshe Sharett (Shertok), second Prime Minister of Israel, was born in Ukraine, in 1894. He immigrated to Israel with his family in 1906. Sharett was educated in the Herzlia Gymnasium, the first Hebrew-speaking High School in Israel, graduated in Law in Constantinopole and after World War I, studied Economics in London. In 1925, he returned to Israel to work at the Jewish Agency State Department. Sharett was among the founders of the Jewish Brigade during World War II. He worked to achieve a majority in favor of the U.N.'s Partition Plan and, when established, he was appointed as the first Foreign Minister. From 1954 – 1955, Sharett served as Prime Minister of Israel, in addition to fulfilling his duties as Foreign Minister. In 1960, he was elected as Chairman of the Jewish Agency and Zionist Organization and developed his remaining years, until his death in 1965, to Zionist activity and writing. Moshe Sharett laid the foundation for Israeli diplomacy and furthering of Zionist and Israeli Foreign Affairs. He believed that Israel would be able to build friendly relations with her Arab neighbors. Sharett was noted for his analytic abilities and diligence. He was fluent in eight languages yet remained devoted to Hebrew, adding glosses to the developing modern Hebrew, and translating poetry into Hebrew.
The back side of each banknote contains the state emblem, serial number, and signature of the artist - Zaltsman.
