Jewish flag

Phrases such as Jewish flag, flag of Judaism and flag of the Jews are often used as synonyms for the flag of Israel (also known as the Zionist flag prior to the establishment of the state of Israel in 1948), but at times have referred to other designs meant to refer in whole or in part to Jews as an ethnicity or religion.

History

Prior to modern Zionism

File:Proposed Flag of Sephardi Jews.svg

flag for Sephardic Jews

Jews as a distinct group well predate the development of flag-design as a practice (for instance, neither of the historic kingdoms named Israel are known to have had a flag, nor the Kingdom of Judah), but other symbols were associated with Jews that served as prior art for ensuing designs. A notable example is the Star of David, also called the Shield of David after the king of biblical Israel of unknown historicity.

In Prague in 1648, Ferdinand II permitted the Jews of Prague to fly a flag over their synagogue with a design consisting^{[citation needed]} of a red field with a centered yellow Magen David. This red/yellow colour scheme is reflected in a recent proposed design for Sephardim.

Pre-state modern Zionism

In the 1890s and particularly leading up to and during the first and second Zionist congresses, there were calls by Morris Harris, Theodor Herzl, David Wolffsohn, and others for the adoption of a flag to represent Jews. The result was the Zionist flag, which is largely identical to the current flag of Israel.

In Germany in 1936, the Nuremberg Laws proscribing matters of German ethno-national identity were passed, including Reichsflaggengesetz, a law describing which flags represented Germany and Germans, and proscribing which groups could use which flags to represent themselves. The fascist administration barred German Jews as non-citizens from using any of the national flags, and instead designated the so-called "jüdischen Farben" ("Jewish colours") for their use. The Nuremberg Laws were repealed in 1945 as part of the Allied occupation after World War II concluded.

Founding of modern Israel to present

Reception

Some Haredi Jews oppose any flag being established on the grounds it would disobey the commandment against worship of images.

References

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