Jewish World Review Sept. 8, 2000 / 7 Elul, 5760
http://www.jewishworldreview.com --
PEOPLE who want to prepare traditional Jewish dishes from various parts
of the world will no longer have to buy a cookbook; all they'll require are some
recent Israeli stamps.
These feature mouth-watering portrayals of falafel,
couscous and gefilte fish, as well as a list of the ingredients required for making
them. Also included on the stamps are the utensils used in preparing these
dishes: a special pot for making couscous, a grinder for the gefilte fish and an
instrument for fashioning falafel balls. On the first-day cover, one finds
a pita stuffed with falafel.
These food stamps are a first for Israel's Philatelic Service, but not for its
counterparts elsewhere. Many years ago the British brought out a virtual
cookbook of stamps, on each one of which, of course, Queen Elizabeth appeared as
well. And at the other end of the world, the Japanese produced a series of
postcards with their own selection of ethnic delicacies.
Any Israeli can suggest a theme for a stamp, and each year many
thousands of individuals and organizations do so. These suggestions are
considered by a broad-based committee which then sends its recommendations
to the Government. It has the final say in what will appear.
The themes are seldom very original. Almost every country, after all, has
stamps featuring flowers, animals, and famous personalities. But some series
relate to Israel's special character. For example, there were a number of
synagogue stamps showing places of Jewish worship around the world. And
every Rosh Hashana holiday stamps are put on sale. Other cultures and
religions are also honored, but to a much smaller extent.
Foreign dignitaries make their appearance on Israeli stamps from time to
time. The most recent person so honored was the late King Hassan of Morocco.
In an accompanying leaflet, it was explained why he was singled out: "Hassan
invested great efforts in promoting inter-religious dialogue, showing respect for
the Jewish community in Morocco and its leaders. Moreover, he firmly believed
in the importance of peace for the flourishing of the Middle East."
Israel's first stamps were brought out when there was no peace in this part
of the world. Indeed, there was no Israel. Those stamps were prepared in great
secrecy during the last months of the British Mandate and before the name of the
future Jewish State had been decided upon. So instead of bearing the name
Israel, they read "Doar Ivri" (Hebrew mail). They weren't used for very long and a
full set of such stamps is now worth a great deal of money.
Today the 40 or so stamps issued each year bear the name of Israel in
three languages: Hebrew, Arabic and English. And they are extremely popular
among collectors, tens of thousands of whom receive every new series directly
from the Philatelic
JWR contributor Nechemia Meyers writes from Rechovot, Israel.
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By Nechemia Meyers