The Western Wall

The Western Wall
State Medal, 5750-1989

"There are people with hearts of stone...and there are stones with human hearts". For every Jew, the stones of the Western Wall are the most precious stones in the world. For 2,000 years, this mute wall has been standing, a remnant of the walls enclosing the Temple Mount, a tangible, unbroken link between the Jewish People and its land. Our sages used to say that the Wall has never been abandoned by the "Shechina", the divine spirit dwelling there. The wall has been the focus of Jewish yearning for Jerusalem. Today, visitors push little notes with prayers and supplications into the crevices of the Wall. This medal commemorates the eternal longing for Jerusalem and the Wall, as well as recent archaeological discoveries.

This medal issued on an idea by Dov Frommer Haifa, numismatic veteran and one of the first dealers.

Obverse: Ashlar stones of the Western Wall with their typical moss. The Bronze/tombac and silver medals bear the passage "IF I FORGET THEE O JERUSALEM" and the source, "Psalms 137:5" in Hebrew and English. The gold medal bears the passage without source.

Reverse: To the left, depicts the Temple Mount Tunnels, dug underground along the length of the entire western wall of the Temple Mount, including part of a Hasmonean aqueduct. The words "Temple Tunnel" in Hebrew and English.

Edge: State emblem on bronze/Tombac and silver medals, with the words "STATE OF ISRAEL' in Hebrew on the right and in English on the left with serial number. Silver medal - "Silver 935" in Hebrew and English. Gold medal - milled.

Designer: Gideon Keich.

Engraving: Tidhar Dagan and Kretschmer.

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