The stamp features Haifa Port as represented by a typical freighter and cranes, with the Baha'i Gardens on the slopes of Mt. Carmel in the background; and the Port of Thessaloniki as represented by a typical cruise ship and cranes, with the ancient white tower on the beach in the background.
The stamp tab features the 25 Years of Diplomatic Relations between Israel and Greece logo, designed by graphic artist and illustrator Kelly Matathia Covo. Both are modern democratic states, Mediterranean neighbors, with common values representing the proud independence of two ancient nations. The two countries have forged a multidimensional partnership with wide-ranging cooperation in all fields reflecting our peoples' shared history, close cultural ties and common interests.
2. Israel - Spain Joint Issue
The Bridge of Strings is a cable stayed bridge built at the entrance to Jerusalem as part of the municipal light rail project. It was designed by Spanish architect Santiago Calatrava. The bridge allows the light rail to cross from Jaffa Road to Herzl Blvd. and also serves as a pedestrian bridge. It was designed as a modern gate and a new symbol of the city of Jerusalem. The bridge is 360 meters in length, weighs 4500 tons and utilizes some 10 kilometers of suspended cables. The angled mast on the side of the bridge is made of special steel and soars to a height of 118 meters. It is connected to the pavement below by 70 cables. These cables bear the full weight of the bridge with no supporting beams whatsoever. The inspiration for the design comes from a verse in the Book of Psalms, 150:3: Praise Him with harp and lyre. According to Calatrava, "I felt that David's city should have a bridge that resembled a harp or a violin, the instrument that he played".
Construction of the bridge began in 2005 and was inaugurated on June 25, 2008. Santiago Calatrava, born in 1951, is a Spanish engineer and architect whose style is original and unique. He has designed public buildings and suspension bridges around the world. He integrates his vast engineering knowledge and his architectural skills into his works to create aesthetic structures inspired by nature. Calatrava's unique style is characterized by the color white, extensive use of cables, arches, steel beams, stone and glass to create a "transparent" effect and organic shapes.
3. Israel - Philippines joint issue
The relations between Israel and the Philippines are founded upon two events that were morally and politically significant for the Israeli and Philippine peoples.
The first event was the decision made by Manuel L. Quezon, the President of the Philippines at the time, to open his country's gates to Jewish refugees from Germany and Austria on the eve of WWII, which stood in stark contrast to the conduct of the "enlightened" nations during that period.
The second event was that the Philippines was the only Asian country to vote in favor of Israel at the United Nations on November 29, 1947 during the historic decision that led to the establishment of the State of Israel and the recognition thereof by the family of nations.
This friendly relationship is also related to the fact that Israel is the Holy Land and the land of the Bible, which greatly affects the Philippino people. According to a study conducted by the Anti-defamation League, the Philippines is one of the only countries in the world that has virtually no anti-Semitism, a fact that is in line with the two countries’ joint history. Israel has a significant Filipino population, whose contribution to the welfare for incurable patients and the disabled is greatly appreciated.
The Open Doors Monument is located at the center of the Memorial Garden in the city of Rishon LeZion. It was dedicated in 2007 and marks the assistance the Philippines provided to Jewish refugees during WWII.
In the late 1930's most countries of the world closed their doors to Jews who were being persecuted by the Nazi regime. During this difficult period Philippine President Manuel L. Quezon agreed to issue 10,000 immigrant visas to European Jews. Some 1,300 Jews utilized these visas to immigrate to the Philippines. Many of them worked in the cigarette factory founded by the Freidar family in Manila and lived in blocs that President Quezon had built especially for them.
The monument, created by Philippine artist Mr. Jun Yee, consists of three doors in graded sizes symbolizing the courage and humanity of the Filipino people in welcoming the Jewish refugees. The triangular shape of the open doors represents the triangle on the Philippine flag and the triangles that comprise the Star of David. This integration of triangles is a symbol of the close friendly ties that exist between the Philippine Republic and the State of Israel.
The concrete floor below each door features an impression of a pair of feet crossing the threshold into the open door. These footprints belong to George Levinstein, a Jewish refugee who arrived in the Philippines in 1939, Max Weissler, who arrived in the Philippines in 1941 at age 11 and Dorilis Goffer, a 10-year old Filipino Israeli girl who is the granddaughter of Holocaust survivors. Her footprints represent the continued friendship between the two countries.
Crown Anemone (Anemone coronaria)
From the moment the first Anemones bloom, it is impossible to ignore them, even from a distance. Anemones face the sun and follow it throughout the day. This flower acts like a concave mirror, concentrating the sun's rays and warming the stamens and stigmas at its center to as much as ten degrees above the temperature in the surrounding area. This heat speeds up the germination of the pollen grains, thus reducing the chance that they will be washed away by rain.
In many places the Crown Anemone blooms in numerous different colors, mainly white, blue and purple, in addition to red. All have the same fragrance.
Surprisingly, the wind is responsible for most of the pollination and all of Israel's Crown Anemones belong to a single genetic population, with no significant differences. In the Southern part of the country grow only red flowers, which are more resistant to the drier conditions.
Croatian Iris (Iris croatica Prodán)
The only place in the world in which the Croatian Iris grows is on the forested limestone hills in western Croatia. It was not defined scientifically until 1962 and by 2000 it was declared by the Croatian Academy of Arts and Science as Croatia's national flower. This plant is known as Perunika in honor of Perun, the highest god of the pantheon and god of thunder and Lightning in Slavic mythology. Legend has it that Perunika only grows where lightning has struck the ground. A special folk dancing festival named for the Iris is held in May, when the flowers bloom. The Croatian Iris is used to create especially beautiful hybrids with other iris species and its beauty and resistance make it a popular garden plant.
The rhizomes contain essential oils and fragrant resins. Powder prepared from the rhizome is used in folk medicine, as well as in the preparation of perfumes and for other cosmetic purposes.
To be continued ...
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