2019-07-10 Wed

Israel is a Middle Eastern country on the Mediterranean Sea. It is regarded by Jews, Christians and Muslims as the biblical Holy Land. Its most sacred sites are in Jerusalem. Within its Old City, the Temple Mount complex includes the Dome of the Rock shrine, the historic Western Wall, Al-Aqsa Mosque and the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. Israel's financial hub, Tel Aviv, is known for its Bauhaus architecture and beaches.

Israel is considered the most advanced country in Southwest Asia and the Middle East in economic and industrial development. The Israeli new shekel is the currency of Israel and is also used as a legal tender in the Palestinian territories of the West Bank and the Gaza Strip. The new shekel is divided into 100 agora. The new shekel has been in use since 1 January 1986, when it replaced the hyper inflated old shekel.

Beginning on 4 September 1985, banknotes were introduced in denominations of 5, 10, and 50. Later a 1 shekel note followed on 8 May 1986; a 20 note was issued on 2 April 1988. Today we are looking at 20 new sheqalim/new shekel banknote issued in 2008. The note specifications are as follows:

The obverse depicts the portrait of Moshe Sharett; Picture of the ceremony of the unfurling of the Israeli flag at the UN building on May 12, 1949; and an excerpt from the speech given by Sharett on that occasion. The reverse of this grey-green note features the picture of Jewish Brigade volunteers during WW II and of a pre-State look-out tower; and an excerpt from Sharett's radio address after his return from a visit to the Jewish Brigade in Italy.

Image Courtesy: Sheqel.info