The Dove and Olive Branch

After the Great Flood, God commanded Noah to send forth a dove to seek out dry land.  According to tradition, the dove eventually returned carrying an olive branch – thus signifying that the Great Flood was over.  Over the ages, the dove and the olive branch have become a symbol of peace between men and nations.  It is also a symbol that symbolizes the State of Israel and the return of the Jewish People to their homeland after 2000 years of exile.  Born out of the Holocaust, surrounded by enemies determined to wipe the State of Israel from the map, still we offer the dove and the olive branch as a symbol of our desire for peace.  The dove and olive branch, against the background of the Israeli flag symbolizes our deep desire for peace and our determination to remain in our homeland forever and regardless of those who seek to, once again, exile us from our land.