Exodus 1989

Exodus 1989
Official Award Medal 1993 5753

The Department of Aliyah and Klitah of the Jewish Agency, in cooperation with the Prime Minister's Office, the Foreign Ministry, and El Al, brought over half a million immigrants to Israel during the mass immigration of 1989-1993. This medal marks the reorganization of transit stations for immigrants in Helsinki, Warsaw, Varna, Budapest and Bucharest, which made it possible to bring immigrants out of the Soviet Union and directly to Israel, safely and in relative comfort. The Department of Aliyah and Klitah has carried out numerous important immigration operations, including Operation Moses and Operation Solomon, which brought Jews from Ethiopia, and others which have brought Jews from Yemen, Syria, Yugoslavia, the CIS, and other lands.

Medal Description

Obverse: A family of immigrants with people boarding an El Al plane in the background, a relief marking the passage from transit stations to direct flights to Israel. Above, along the circumference, in Hebrew and English, "The Jewish Agency for Israel". Below, in Hebrew, "from transit stations to direct flights".

Reverse: Baggage of an immigrant bearing the names of the Eastern European transit stations in Hebrew, "Varna, Helsinki, Warsaw, Budapest, Bucharest" and "Israel". The upper portion of the silver medal bears the inscription "Operation Exodus 1989" in the upper portion. The bronze/tombac medal also bears these words in Hebrew. Along the bottom circumference of the bronze/tombac medal is the inscription "Department of Aliyah and Klita" with the addition of the words "UNITED JEWISH APPEAL' on the silver medal.

Edge:
Initials "I.G.C.M.C." in Hebrew and English; serial number. "BRONZE" in Hebrew and English on bronze/ tombac medal and "SILVER 935" on the silver medal.

Serialization:
All medals are numbered.

Design: Lili Sher

Engraving: Tidhar Dagan

Mint:
Bronze/tombac – Hecht
Silver - Government Mint