Palmach In Memory of the 23 Seamen Medal
caption:
On the Obverse: around the rim, in Hebrew, "In Memory of the 23 Seamen". In the center, a boat struggling against angry waves. Inscribed on the boat, in Hebrew, "Ari Ha-Yam" (the Sea-Lion). Giant Hands are pulling the boat downward. At the bottom, the date: May 1941...and the signature of the artist Nehama Ofek (in Hebrew).
Identifer: CJF-RFC2015340
Medium
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Description
The medal commemorates the 23 members of the Palmach who were sent to Tripoli, Lebanon (under pro-Nazi Vichy rule) to blow up a local refinery. The boat and it's crew of 23 disappeared, never to be seen or heard from. This was the first activity of the Palmach.
Perhaps the design was inspired by the Biblical verse (Exodus 15,5), "The Deep Covers them, they went down into the depths like stone".
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