Shavuot

Shavuot
State Medal, 1993 5753

Shavuot is the shortest of the three holidays during which Jews made pilgrimage to the Temple. The other two, Passover and Sukkot, last a week each while Shavuot is but a single day. Despite this, pilgrims laden with first fruits made their way to Jerusalem, bringing figs, grapes and raisins, an ox with gilt horns leading the way. The people of Jerusalem would go out to greet the pilgrims and the Levites received them with song. Shavuot is the harvest holiday, as it says in Exodus 23:16: "You shall observe the festival of harvest, of the first fruits of your labor, of what you sow in the field". Nowadays, it is customary on this holiday to decorate the home with the seven species: wheat, barley, grapes, figs, pomegranates, olives and dates.

Obverse: Inscribed: "Time of the giving of our Torah" in Hebrew, with tablets of the covenant (Ten Commandments) incorporated. An ear of barley, an olive branch and a cluster of grapes. The word "SHAVUOT" in Hebrew and English.

Reverse: Stylized field and figure harvesting. Lines made by harvesters in shape of stylized Star of David. Hebrew inscription. "You shall observe the feast of the first fruits".

Edge: State emblem with the words "STATE OF ISRAEL' in Hebrew on the right and in English on the left and serial number. Bronze/tombac medal - "BRONZE" in Hebrew and English; Silver medal - "Silver 935" in Hebrew and English; gold medal - milled.

Serialization: Bronze/tombac and silver medals are numbered.

Design:
Obverse - Nathan Karp.
Reverse - Ruben Nutels.

Engraving: Tidhar Dagan.

Mint:
Bronze/tombac - Hecht.
Silver - The Government Mint. Gold - Kretschmer.