Jerusalem

Jerusalem
State Medal, 5726-1966

Jerusalem is mentioned six hundred and fifty six times in Scriptures and has played a unique role in Jewish history as a capital city, as a holy city. The city is holy for Christians and Moslems as well. Its sacred character for these religions stems from their Judaic roots, and to other sacred places in Palestine. For the Jewish people, however, Jerusalem is a capital in both the profane and sacred sense, the very essence of its foundation; "If I forget thee Jerusalem, may my right arm lose its cunning". Jerusalem looms large in its people's memory for its glorious history, for the vision of prophets who paced in its precincts, for the royal figures who governed it and for the heritage of its sages who preached therein. King David captured the city some three thousand years ago and made it his capital, the city of David, Solomon added to its glory and established the Temple there, Nebuchadnezzar destroyed the Temple and sent the people into captivity. During the reign of Cyrus, the Jews returned to their land and built the Second Temple which endured for 608 years ending in the Roman destruction. Bar Kochba, sixty years later, returned Jewish sovereignty to the city. When the city fell again to the Romans, Jews were forbidden to enter it or the Temple site. For more than 18 centuries, Jerusalem was held by various conquerors - Romans, Byzantines, Persians, Arabs, Crusaders, Mamelukes and Turks. During recent centuries, however, Jerusalem became the largest Jewish settlement in Palestine. By 1860 a series of new neighborhoods were established in the city. The Jewish population grew gradually and in time became dominant in the city. During the War of Independence, Jewish Jerusalem defended itself with supreme valor. Neither steady bombardment, nor the siege; neither starvation nor the indifferent antagonistic attitude of the British Mandatory rulers, could defeat it. To be sure, the Old City and its eastern part were captured by the Jordanian Legion, but the attempt to wrest Jerusalem from the Jewish State failed. On 22 Kislev 5710, Prime Minister David Ben Gurion proclaimed Jerusalem as the capital of Israel and during the Six Day War, the Old City and the eastern part were liberated and Jerusalem was again united under Israeli rule.

Obverse: A symbolic sketch of Jerusalem atop mountains surrounded by clouds. Amid the clouds the inscription in Hebrew: "Mountains round about Jerusalem". The English translation in the center.

Reverse: In the center, a replica of the Bar Kochba Jerusalem coin (sela), struck during the second year of the revolt. In the center of the medal, four columns, an arc - a symbol of the Torah, and the letters: "Jerusalem". Around the rim the inscription: Bar-Kochba Coin of Jerusalem 3893 in Hebrew and 133 CE in English.

Edge: The State emblem and words "State of Israel" in Hebrew and English. The silver coins bear "Sterling" in English and the word "Silver 935" in Hebrew. The gold has "G916.6".

Serialization: All medals are numbered, except the bronze/copper medals 35mm. Bronze 45mm were numbered to 1 5,000. 6 were not minted. 25 were melted.

Designer: Obverse - Jean David. Reverse - Alex Berlyne.

Engraving: Kretschmer.

Mint: Kretschmer.