Jewish Banner

This banner is part of the Migration Museum's Community Banners project, 'Memories and Dreams'. It is symbolic of Jewish immigrants' experiences in South Australia.

Against a green background the grey walls of Jerusalem are sewn in applique with red towers. The rest of the background is in white, the stitching in yellow. The top half is a menorah (Hebrew for lamp, usually with seven candle holders and used in the religious rituals of Judaism) with a number of people embroidered onto the menorah. Jerusalem symbolizes the spiritual focus of Jewish people who have returned after 2000 years. The menorah symbolizes enlightenment through study and observance of Torah sustaining the people in the long painful exile. The Star of David is placed on South Australia in a map of Australia and stands for the freedom and friendship enabling Jewish people to maintain the bonds with Judaism; evoked in a prayer, ‘If I forget thee o'Jerusalem ....’