What does the symbol in Israel flag mean?

Question

I've heard it's the symbol of Jew as well, is it?

Answer 1

The Star of David or the Magen David - as in the symbol representing King David of the Bible.

The Magen David (shield of David, or as it is more commonly known, the Star of David) is the symbol most commonly associated with Judaism today, but it is actually a relatively new Jewish symbol. It is supposed to represent the shape of King David's shield (or perhaps the emblem on it), but there is really no support for that claim in any early rabbinic literature. In fact, the symbol is so rare in early Jewish literature and artwork that art dealers suspect forgery if they find the symbol in early Jewish works.

Scholars such as Franz Rosenzweig have attributed deep theological significance to the symbol. For example, some note that the top triangle strives upward, toward G-d, while the lower triangle strives downward, toward the real world. Some note that the intertwining makes the triangles inseparable, like the Jewish people. Some say that the three sides represent the three types of Jews: Kohanim, Levites and Israel. Some note that there are actually 12 sides (3 exterior and 3 interior on each triangle), representing the 12 tribes. While these theories are theologically interesting, they have little basis in historical fact.

The symbol of intertwined equilateral triangles is a common one in the Middle East and North Africa, and is thought to bring good luck. It appears occasionally in early Jewish artwork, but never as an exclusively Jewish symbol. The nearest thing to an "official" Jewish symbol at the time was the menorah.

In the middle ages, Jews often were required to wear badges to identify themselves as Jews, much as they were in Nazi Germany, but these Jewish badges were not always the familiar Magen David. For example, a fifteenth century painting by Nuno Goncalves features a rabbi wearing a six-pointed badge that looks more or less like an asterisk.

In the 17th century, it became a popular practice to put Magen Davids on the outside of synagogues, to identify them as Jewish houses of worship in much the same way that a cross identified a Christian house of worship; however, I have never seen any explanation of why this symbol was chosen, rather than some other symbol.

The Magen David gained popularity as a symbol of Judaism when it was adopted as the emblem of the Zionist movement in 1897, but the symbol continued to be controversial for many years afterward. When the modern state of Israel was founded, there was much debate over whether this symbol should be used on the flag.

Today, the Magen David is a universally recognized symbol of Jewry. It appears on the flag of the state of Israel, and the Israeli equivalent of the Red Cross is known as the Red Magen David.

Answer 2

The 6 pointed star on the Israeli flag is the Star of David, or the Shield of David. The symbol is supposed to be the same shape as the shield used by King David when he went into battle.

The Star of David has been adopted in relatively modern times as the symbol of the Jewish people. Today, it can be found almost everywhere in the Jewish community, including - prominently - on the flag of Israel :)

Answer 3

The star on the flag represents the star that was on the Shield of David one of the Jewish kings and the one that most Jews are proud of.

The two blue lines represents the Jewish dream of creating the greater state of Israel. Those two lines refer to two rivers in the Middle East, the Nile in Egypt and the Euphrates in Iraq.

The ultimate goal of the Zionist movement is to occupy all the land that the Jews once lived in or were enslaved in since ancient history.

Answer 4

The flag of Israel is white background, with two blue stripes along both sides, and a six points star in the middle.
The white cloth with two blue stripes is a copy of a prayer cloth Jews wear at prayer, called "Tallit", which itself is probably a copy of primitive clothes from Judea, before the time of Jesus.
The six points star was a symbol on shields of soldiers of the first Israeli kingdom ruled by king David, with its capital in Jerusalem, about 1000 B.C.

Answer 5

Its the star of David, the first king of Israel. This was in pre-biblical times, you understand...Thats why the Jews are known as 'Sons of david'

Answer 6

the star is david star as others answered and the 2 blue lines means that israel wants its country from nile river to forat in iraq but we arabs cant let israel do this

Answer 7

the David star is a religious sign for the Jews and the two lines show the two rivers (Nile and Fora(spelling?)) that they say the land in between belongs to them.

Answer 8

From the Euphrates to the Nile.

Answer 9

It means the STAR OF DAVID.

Answer 10

it's the star of David.