US Army Jewish Chaplain insignia 1943

US Army Jewish Chaplain insignia 1943

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Source: en.wikipedia entry -Religious_symbolism_in_the_United_States_military 

Hexagram - Designs and Meanings

Otto Friedrich AugustMeinardus was a German Coptologist and pastor (1925 – 2005). Hewrote an article titled TheHexagram or the Magen David in Byzantine Art (in the Bulletin of the ChristianArcheological Society 8 (period IV)(1975-1976) p. 97-100). In this article he claimsthat the current meaning of the hexagram as representing the House of David or theJewish heritage in Christendom is too dominant and leads to misconception. Inthe past the hexagram acceptance was wider than today, and its main functionwas ornamental.

Meinardus mentions severalhexagram designs

a-     The Capernaum Synagoguetype with straight lines which eventually became the symbol of the state ofIsrael.

b-     The Eshtemoa Synagogue type with curved lines[1], which is most frequently found on Byzantine ornamentation.

c-     The six rayedstar [2] influenced by the I for Jesus and X for Christos

d-    The  six rayed star which "clearly signifiedthe heavenly body, as, for example, in the case of the upper part of theBarberini Diptych in the Louvre"

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[1] My teacher, Ze'ev Goldmann, thought that this Tri-loop symbol (which appearstwice on the Capernaum Lintel) is frequent Samaritan one, but appears also on aJewish Massoretic design in micrographic writing that has in its center a pieceof paper with text of the Tri-partite blessing of the Cohanim. It appears alsoon Neo-Paphos Mosaic Floor along with Crosses and the Swastika sign. 

About 40 years ago Dr. Asher Eder took a picture of this Tri-Loop symbol on arelief in the ruins of an Herodian building in Beth-El, north of Ramallah.

 [2] G. Scholem claimed that this type ("six radiuses which come fron a single point") is not a Star of David at all. G. Scholem mentions the appearance of this sign on Assyrian, and later Phoenician and Israeli seals. (Magen David, Toldotav Shel Semel [Hebrew] p. 29.

a.      Capernaum - straight lined star -4th century C.E.

Credit:Gabi Goldman

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b.      Capernaum - curved lined star -4th century C.E.

Credit:Gabi Goldman

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c.       Constantinople Christian sarcophaguswith XI monogram, circa 400 C.E.

ArchaeologicalMuseum in Istanbul

Source:CC image, English Wikipedia entry: Sarcophagus

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d.      Barberini Diptych in the Louvre  -6th century C.E.

 Source: CC image, English Wikipedia entry: Justinián_I.

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More Stars of David in the Genizah Project

I already wrote in 2006-7 about two manuscripts from the Cairo Genizah whichinclude Stars of David, but now that The Friedberg Genizah Project is online it is awhole new game. I salute the organizers of this web site for theirextraordinary achievement. It took me sometime to register and install Java,but eventually I found a few more Genizah manuscripts which include Stars ofDavid:

T-S AS 54.138 (1v) shows a fine Star of David made from small lines.There's also  a rhombus in the same page.

T-S Misc 1.75 is a page from Psalms 64-66 and it has on the right side asmall vertical floral ornament which ends with a tiny Star of David made from oneline.

T-S 125.94 has two small Stars of David and one which is larger and init some Hebrew words from which I recognized the Hebrew words (in capitalletters): Morasha Kehilat Ya'acov. In one of the two small Stars of David Irecognized one of the two cursive Hebrew words - Tor.

T-S 135.169 has on the first from four leafs two Stars of David, onewith a point in its center. On the second leaf there are 5 jotted  Stars of David and in the center of the sixththere's a point in the center.

T-S 150.195 has at its bottom a few lines filled with small Stars ofDavid.

T-S 297.90 – according to its description it has a Star of David in amagical context in Arabic but I couldn't see the image.
Cambridge,CUL: Or.1080 1.63 2v1 Arabic letters Magic many stars of David on rows 2,4,5  Source of information: Gideon Bohak, Head of FGP Magic team

Cambridge,CUL: T-S Ar.53.21 - Arabic letters; Margins contain some jottings and drawingsof the Star of David and other symbols

Cambridge,CUL: T-S K1.5 Aramaic Hebrew, Magic, contain some drawings of the Star of David

Cambridge,CUL: T-S K1.62 Large star of David surrounding and surrounded by names of God

Sourceof information: Gideon Bohak, Head of FGP Magic team

The Cairo Genizah documents were written from about 870 C.E. to 1880 C.E.so it is hard to know when each of these Stars of David was drawn. Anyhow wehave so few instances of Stars of David from that period that this treasure addsa lot of interesting content for research.  

1894- Eugen Sandow's Star of David

 Huge Star of David on Eugen Sandow's chest

1867 -  1925

Jewish founder of body building

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 Courtesy of  Stephanie Comfort

 (c) 

2012

The star of David in Brazil

Prof. Anita W.Novinsky from Sao Paulo University is an expert on the subject of the Anusim (Crypto Jews, Coversos) in Brazil. I saw a long  interview with her on the Documentary: A Estrela Oculta do Sertão, dealing with the subject of the estimated 120 million Anusim in Brazil. I asked her if she stumbled upon Stars of David in Brazil.

She wrote to me that the star of David is very common in the north east of brazil, by the  people in  general. (according to the above mentioned documentary most of the  anusim are concentrated in this area).  

The star of David is used by fishermen, who leave to the sea in a boat, and in the bottom of the boat they print the star of David, to give them  luck.

There are anusim who use the star in their chain, and in their homes  it appears frequently.

Prof. Anita W.Novinsky referred me for detailled  informations in the books of the famous folklorist Luiz Camara Cascudo.

Stars of David in Adam Rhine's Illuminated Calendar

Courtesy of Adam Rhine

(C) 

http://www.amazon.com/Illuminated-Psalms-2012-Wall-Calendar/dp/1602374813/ref=tmm_other_title_0

I love the Jews in New York.

Graffiti 

Heart symbol spreads rays of love from the Star of David to New York 

CC Picture by 

Hrag Vartanian from Flickr

(c)

Star of David in an Endless Loop

Star of David in an Endless Loop

Mural at Plovdiv Synagogue Bulgaria

Courtesy of 

Michael Kandel

http://michaelslens.com/

The sign of the Jewish Daily News

Star of David lions and Menorah on the sign of the Jewish Daily News

London, Soho, Whitechapel, Oxford street

Designed by Arthur Szyk (1894-1951) in the 1920’s

Courtesy of failing_angel from Flickr

Star of David Shaped Tombstone

Star of David Shaped Tombstone at the

United Jewish Cemetery, Cincinnati, Ohio

first burial in 1850

Courtesy of elycefeliz from Flickr

Star of David as a Frame in a Tefillin Cover

The left Star of David frames the Hebrew word for head (meaning the tefillin for the head) while the right Star of David frames the Hebrew word for hand (meaning the tefillin for the hand).

Picture is courtesy of Sharon Pazner From Flickr.

Star of David as a Frame

I just uploaded to YouTube a video (in Hebrew) about the Star of David as a FRAME and here's one image that was not included there, showing inside the hexagon one of names of God in Hebrew.

Picture is courtesy of "colros' from Flickr and he shot it at the Synagogue on Durocher, Montreal, Canada.

Star of David in a Synagogue predating the expulsion from Spain

The Synagogue of Santa María La Blanca in the old Jewish quarter of Toledo, Spain, was Toledo's oldest and largest synagogue. It was built in the 12th century. Right under the columns there is a geometric latticework forming a Star of David (hard to notice). Style: Mudéjar (Moorish) . The Moors were Muslims who remained in Spain after the Christians overtook the country.

Picture is courtesy of FayeB6 from Flickr.

Star of David Made from Bricks

To build and to be built- I took this shot in July 2008

Building Israel - Photo by Zako-  sent to me today

all the rights are reserved to him

Martyrs of Rhodes And Cos

The base of this monument to the 1604 martyrs of Rhodes and Cos who were murdered in Nazi death camps has the shape of a Magen David in addition to the frequently used white on black Magen David which is engraved on the column. Picture is Courtesy of “templar1307” from Flickr”

Sukkah Decoration 2008

Magen David in a Sukkah

Photographer: Hayim Shtayer 

Copyright: Hayim Shtayer 2008

Hexagrams with White Lily

Hexagrams (with white lily, fleur de lis) are engraved on a manhole in Freiburg , Germany. Photo was shot by Zako and all rights are reserved to him. The connection between the six-pointed star and the white lily is dominant in Uri Ofir's theory about the Jewish origin of the Star of David, but here we see a clear Christian connection.

Synagogue Ceiling From Damascus

Large Star of David appears in the center of an endless Star-of-David-pattern at the ceiling of Beit Shalom, 20 Ahad Ha'am St., Jerusalem, Israel. Lawyer Shalom Horowitz has brought this decoration many years ago from a Synagogue in Damascus. Picture is courtesy of Mr. Isaac Faingold.

Zoom in

Kosher for Passover Headstone

Dobush from Kfar Aza referred me to a an amazing story that Chaim Drizin published on

http://www.chabad.org/library/article_cdo/aid/499137/jewish/Kosher-For-Passover.htm

about a Jew who passed away in Namibia and on his headstone were engraved above his name a Magen David and the Hebrew words for "Kosher for Passover."