The Star of David is a well-known six-pointed star made from two triangles. It is called Magen David in Hebrew, which means the Shield of David. Today, it is the main symbol for Jewish identity, the Jewish people, and the State of Israel. [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]

History and Origin

• Shape: It is a hexagram formed by one triangle pointing up and one triangle pointing down.
• Middle Ages: The shape was used in many old cultures, but it became a specific Jewish symbol in Prague during the 14th century.
• Spread: Its use grew across Europe during the 19th century as a clear sign of Jewish communities.
• Zionism: It was chosen as the symbol for the Zionist movement in 1897 and later placed on the flag of Israel in 1948. [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]

Meaning and Uses

• Identity: It represents Jewish pride, community, and the link between God and humanity.
• Where it appears: You can see it on synagogue buildings, Jewish gravestones, holy objects, jewelry, and the Israeli flag. [1, 2, 3]

Star of David – Wikipedia

This article is about the hexagram as a Jewish symbol. For other uses, see Hexagram. “Magen David” redirects here. For the halakhic commentator, see David HaLev…