Description
History of the Flag of Israel
Five months after the establishment of the independent state of Israel, the country adopted its national flag. According to state legislation, the flag’s official dimensions are 160 × 220 cm and its proportions are 8:11. The flag was first designed during the 1891 Zionist Movement. In 2007, a flag of Israel measuring 2,170 ft × 330 ft and weighing 5.2 tonnes was displayed near Masada, an ancient fortress associated with Jewish history. The flag became the world’s largest flag, breaking all previous records.
Flag Design
The national flag of Israel features two horizontal blue bands (top and bottom) and a blue Star of David in the center, set on a white field.
Symbolism
Since Israel is a nation with a Jewish majority, symbols of Judaism are represented on the flag. The flag’s basic design is based on the tallit, which is a fringed garment made of white cloth with black or blue stripes, and is traditionally worn by religious Jews. Therefore, the blue stripes and white field of Israel’s flag represent the stripes on the tallit. The Star of David, which is one of the main symbols of Judaism, is also featured on the flag.
