What do you call our beloved symbol of two interlocking triangles? It depends on your perspective. Americans call it a “Jewish Star” while Israelis refer to it as a “Magen David.” This example demonstrates that the same object can have a very different meaning for a Jew wearing golus glasses versus Israeli glasses.
If we look from an exile perspective, we envision the yellow star, a badge of shame used to identify and persecute us throughout history. An Eretz Yisrael yid imagines the blue star proudly waving over the Kotel, the Knesset, and on Israeli airplanes.
In reality, however, the triangles are the same from both perspectives. When David Wolfson designed the Israeli flag for the Zionist Congress in Basel 125 years ago, he told Herzl that he drew his inspiration from the tallis. The Magen David is only as blue as our appreciation for the faithful who suffered wearing the yellow star.
The Magen David serves as the ultimate Rorschach test for a Jew. Are we focused on our past or on our future?
What glasses are you wearing?
