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Page 26—Supplement to The Jewish News—March 16,
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Israel's Next Stamp Issue: Six of Chagall Windows
In the first half of what will eventually be a full set
of reproductions of all 12 of the famous windows done
in stained glass by Marc Chagall for the Hadassah-
Hebrew University Medical Center Synagogue, at Ein
Karem, Jerusalem, Israel will, March 27, issue six
stamps.
The Israel Philatelic Agency in America points out
that the 12 windows represent the Twelve Tribes of
Israel (actually the 12 sons of Jacob in the Torah),
each measuring 11% feet by 8 feet, teeming with detail
that tells not only the Bible story but the part played by
each tribe in Israel's national life.
The name of each appears in Hebrew script, and
each contains a Chagall "trademark": a tiny farmhouse
harking back to the Russian township of Vitebsk, site
of the artist's birth in 1887, and his shtetl boyhood.
The present issue of six, each in a one Israel pound
value, reproduces the windows showing the tribes of
the six sons of Jacob's wife Leah: Ruben—in a dominant
blue, since "Thou art my firstborn . • . unstable as
water" (Genesis 49:3-4); Simeon—also blue, but shot
with red, yellow and orange for Simeon's violent nature,
cursed, along with Levi's, by their father for taking
the law into their own hands and avenging the abduc-
tion of their sister, Dinah (Genesis 49:7); Levi—the
violence in his nature is not apparent in this golden
window, marked by the Shield of David,. the candlesticks,
and the Tablets of the Law, since this tribe received
the blessing of Moses as judge and law-giver (Deu-
teronomy 33:10); Judah—a royal tribe, witness the
Kingdom of Judah and today's Judean Hills, the win-
dow done in royal crimson (Genesis 49:8 the author-
ity); Zebulin—seafaring tribe, its window showing fish-
filled sea, purple sunset, and boat under sail, according
to Jacob's prediction (Genesis 49:13); Issachar—peace-
ful, green, for the lands of this tribe in the pastures
of the fertile Lower Galilee (Genesis 49:15).
The Chagall design was printed by E. Lewin-Epstein
Ltd. in photolithography. Stamps depicting the remain-
ing six windows will be issued next year.
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