Year in Honor of the First Settlers

First Settlers Year
State Medal, 5723-1963

The year honoring the first settlers is officially known as: "Commemorating eighty years of the "BILU" arrival and the first settlements". True, Petah Tikvah was founded in 1878, but it was only in 1882 that the first organized group arrived dedicated to working the land. The Roumanian group established two settlements in the mountains, Rosh Pina and Zichron Yaakov. At about this time a party of youngsters arrived carrying with them the idea of working in communes. These were the BILU youth, who established Rishon L'Zion. In the by laws of Rosh Pina were formulated the foundations for cooperatives and mutual assistance groups. This was the year when "Illegals" arrived for the first time, some members of the Roumanian group made their way into the country by way of Egypt carrying Christian pilgrim passports.

Obverse: On the right the State emblem. In the centre an inscription in sunken letters: "Israel in homage to the First Ones". Half around the rim, letters in relief, the identical inscription in English.

Reverse: In the center, a farmer planting in swamp areas. To the right beneath the verse: "I will remember the convenant of their ancestors" (Leviticus 26:45) in Hebrew. Half around the rim, the verse in English.

Edge: The State emblem and the words: "State of Israel" in Hebrew and in English. The silver medals minted by Kretschmer bear "Silver 935" in Hebrew and "Sterling" in English. Medals minted by Hecht have "Silver" in English.

Serialization: Silver 59mm.

Designer: Obverse - Gabriel Neuman. Reverse - Joseph Bass.

Engraving: Kretschmer.

Mint: Bronze - Kretschmer. Tombac - 2128 medals Kretschmer; 501 Hecht. Silver - from 0001 to 2099 medals Kretschmer. from 2100 to 2988. 889 medals. Hecht. A number of differences on the reverse between those minted by Kretschmer and those by Hecht. Kretschmer: Skyline on the right is horizontal. Swamp line on the left is sharp. Hecht: Skyline on the right bends downwards. Swamp line on the left is flat.