Hadassah

Hadassah
State Medal, 5720-1960

About a month before the Declaration of Independence on the 13th April, 1 948, a convoy making its way to Mount Scopus was attacked as it crossed the Sheik Jerach quarters in East Jerusalem and 78 people in the convoy were brutally murdered. It became obvious that the Hadassah Hospital on Mount Scopus was not safe and the medical staff decided to abandon it and establish themselves in rented quarters in the western part of the city. Hadassah immediately mounted a fund raising effort to establish a new medical centre. In August 1960, the new, spacious and well equipped medical centre on a hill overlooking Beit Hakerem, was inaugurated in western Jerusalem.

Obverse: Within an incuse square - the figure of a nurse holding an infant in her arms. On the left, the Hadassah emblem. The medals minted by Hecht do not show the arms of the nurse.

Reverse: In the centre - the new Hadassah Medical Centre. Around the rim, the inscription: "Hadassah - Hebrew University Medical Centre, Jerusalem". Below the Medical Centre buildings, the English translation adding the dedication date.

Edge: The State emblem and the words: "State of Israel" in Hebrew and English. The silver medal bears "Silver 935" in Hebrew and "Silver" in English, on the medals minted by Hecht. Those minted by Zechovoy have the word "Sterling" in English. 250 medals have no content statement.

Designer: Miriam Karoli.

Engraving: Kretschmer

Mint: Bronze and Tombac - Kretschmer. Silver - Zechovoy: 1250 with and 1250 without inscriptions. Hecht: 3542 with and 91 without inscriptions.