To the Béltor of the "Nonmi-Ciuwa Day News"
Sin—Mr. M. S. Bloch in addressing brlefy the Rolaty Club on the flag of Palestine said: "The first flag in the world being flown by King Solomon and now recognized by the whole World, blue" and. white—tove and peace"
World Jewry will undoubtedly express lis great appreciation to Me, Both for making tush a "discovery"
which no-one else is aware, and Emperor Halle Selassie of Abyssinl who claims to be a. descendent of Hing Solomon, wilt surely bestow on] Rolarion Bloch the Grand Order of fgnorantia perfoctus™ for popular is ing the Negus great grand parents ile ertieal moment in the histor Bihiopia. One has only to open the bible from which It will be seen thet the. Jews, while Inthe desert, had' flags and' banners" for every tribe, a0 that kind Solomon's flag was means the firs." Why the "lee Qiver® has" ignored. the first Jewish kings Saul and David Is beyond understanding. 'Perhaps he has never heard "of their" existence hence he hands the tst flag in the world into "the hands of king' Salomon, Welt, tet gratefully for this.
The following article on the Jewish flag written by myself and published Inthe "Totem in duly 1928 may Interest to those seeking Informa-{ion'on the history of the Megs of the The Jewish flag originated some 32 years. ago. in 1897, on the eve of the firat Zionist Congress in Basle. At the eleventh hour It was discovered that there was no design for a Jewish flag forthe building in which the Congress was to be held anda quick beige had to be mage., The original Idea of Dr. Herel in his "Sudenstandt" {ovhave the Jewish. flag. represent the seven days of the week by seven olden stars on a white background ay to the design of the Jewish used at present, which true copy of the "Talith" (Fringed Garment) worn by Jews during the morning prayers, with its stripes of blue ana" the "Shield of Davig™ in the: centre, The white. back-ground of the Talith and fag. is the symbol physical and. intellectual, Purity, being the true. colour of light. The Sky-Blue stripes symbolize the 'Parone the Almighty, aa fs. mentioned Fatma (vol Hoolin 80a) viz, "The blue resembles. the' sea, the sca Te-inbes the heaven, the heaven re-inbes the sapphire and the sapphire he Throne. of the" Ale ye may look upon it (cord of blue) and remember all the Commandments of the Lord'
wus the two blue stripes with the fagan David" in the centre on white background became the Jewish National Flog after 2000 " years of our political downfall, during which time we had no flag whatever. In. Palestine, where our, National in the making it has ly attained official recognition, fand there {s no doubt that it is going to remain the Standard Emblem of the future Jewish Commonwealth.
History falls to detect the design of the Stale Standard or Emblem of the late Jewish' Empire. That the Jows had flags in the past there can, the no doubt and as far back as when the Israelites were In the wilderness every tribe had its special banner. We further know that every camp, consisting of three tribes, marched under the Flag of one of the tribes, viz: The Flag of the camp of Reuben (to the South of the Tabernacle) to which the tribes of Simeon and Gad were attached was a "Man." the flag of Ephraim (West) including Men shah and Benjamin was a "Bullock the flag of Dan (North) including Asher and Naphtalt was an "Eagle" and. of Jehudah (East) including Issahar and Sebulun a "Lion." These are also the "Four Living Creatures" visualized by the prophet Ezekial In his wonderful vision.
According to the Midrai the colours of the flags of the Jewish tribes corresponded tothe twelve precious stones set in the breastplate Morn by the Hight Priests fo jows—
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.