A Simchat Torah flag from Warsaw, 1902

​This flag was printed in Warsaw in 1902 and would have been given to children to wave on the festival of Simchat Torah. The three main characters represented on the flag are Moses, Aaron the High Priest and Theodore Herzl. Moses is holding the two tablets of stone that he received on Mt. Sinai. Aaron is holding a vessel containing incense whilst Herzl is depicted with a top hat.

In the middle of the picture is a representation of an Ark, in which Torah scrolls are kept. On top of the Ark are the names of the twelve tribes of Israel together with their emblems. On the left hand side of the flag are sentences proclaiming the joy of the Festival of Simchat Torah, the obligation to be happy because Israel is the chosen people and a proclamation that Moses went up to the heights to receive the Torah. A deer and a lion are represented in the middle of the sentences with the words “Run like a deer” and “be brave as a lion”. These are quotes from Ethics of the Fathers 5:20. The implication is that Jews should epitomize these qualities when doing the divine will of. The printer’s details are listed at the bottom of the flag.

The flag on Simchat Torah has always reflected the historical time period of its publication. As a result, this flag connects the traditional leaders of Israel, Moses our teacher, Aaron the High Priest, and Herzl. It is an expression of their opinion with regards to Herzl and Zionism’s standing in Jewish History.

An additional way of explaining the three characters is to see them as three approaches to Jewish Nationalism: Moses represents spirituality; Aaron represents commandments and Law while Herzl represents the modern dreams for sovereignty of the Jewish People. Theodore Herzl is widely credited as being the visionary behind modern Zionism and the reinstitution of a Jewish homeland. He convened the First Zionist Congress in 1897 and although he died in 1904, his tireless work laid the foundations for the establishment of the State of Israel.

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Discussion Questions

Observation

• Who are the personalities on the flag?
• What are the images illustrated on the flag?
• Where and when was the flag published?

Reading Between the Lines

• At what time of the year is the flag used?
  How do you know?
• What happens at that time of the year?
  Why do we celebrate this festival?
• Which characters appear on the flag?
  Why do you think that they were chosen for this purpose?
• Who was Herzl?
  Why is he on the flag in 1902?
• The flag was printed in Warsaw in 1902.
  What was the state of the Jews in Warsaw at that time?
• How many Jews lived there?
• What jobs did they do?

Connections

• Do you go to a synagogue on Simchat Torah?
  Do you enjoy it?
  What happens at the synagogue on Simchat Torah?
• Had you heard of Herzl before today?
  What had you heard or learned?
  How is Herzl remembered in Israel on a daily basis?
• Do you think that Theodor Herzl was the main factor behind the establishment of the State of Israel?
  Why? Why not?
  What other factors could have played a part?

Creative Ideas

• Draw or create a visual representation between the three personalities on the flag.
  What is the connection between the personalities?
  What are the differences between the personalities?
• Choose one of the personalities and explain you think that he had more of an influence on Jewish History than the other.
• What other historical personality would you like to put on a Simchat Torah flag?
  Why did you choose this personality?
  Draw your new flag based on the Warsaw Simchat Torah flag.

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