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Municipality of Be'er Sheva (Israel)

Iriyat Be'er Sheva

by Dov Gutterman |

Emblem adopted 20th December 1973

Description
Desk Table Variant

See also:

Municipal Flags (Israel)
Israel

Description

Be'er Sheva, nicknamed Capital of the Negev, is the central city of the South District. Situated in the North Negev, Be'er Sheva (meaning the seventh well) was built by our father Abraham and already mentioned in Genesis (Bereshit) book. Renewed in 1900 and got 185,000 inh. Its flag is emblem on national background, probably in vertical hoisting too. Mrs. Avishag Avtubi, city general manager, wrote me:

The current emblem replaced in the early 1970s the previous emblem which was designed by the late newspaperman Mr. Avraham Halili, one of Be'er Sheva's founders. The new emblem was designed by the graphician Mr. Hezi Mor who won a contest which was organized in the late 1960s.

In an attached paper issued by the Tourism and Information Department, there is an explanation about the symbol (my translation):

In the symbol there is the Eshel (Tamarisk) tree which grows in the region, as reminder of our father Abraham who wellcome his guest in the shadow of the tamarisk tree. The tree is drawn in the symbol as lifting bricks as a symbol to the building and developement of the city. In the symbol there are twelve pillars and a tower, symbolizumg the twelve tribes of Israel and the idea of gathering of the exiles of Israel tribes which gathered and came to the city from all around the globe.

The municipal emblem was published in the official gazette (Rashumot, Yalkut ha-Pirsumim), YP 1970, 20 December 1973. Sources: letter from Mrs. Avishag Avtubi, city general manager, 11 September 2001; desk flag; this website.

Dov Gutterman, 5 October 2001

The exact source for the quote on the flag —"Vayita eshel beveer sheva..." i.e. "And [Abraham] planted a tamarisk tree at Beer Sheva..."— is the first part of Genesis 21:33.

Lewis A. Nowitz, 6 October 2001

The information I sent earlier was partially incorrect. The desk flag is indeed as described but, as seen today on TV, the regular flag is light blue with blue emblem.

Dov Gutterman, 26 February 2002

Desk Table Variant

by Dov Gutterman |