One of the really well recognized and most traditional symbols of Judaism is the Star of David, which is also known as the Shield of David or the Magen David. The symbol’s complex form has many meanings not only in Judaism but also in other traditions. It consists of two equilateral triangles. One of the uses of this symbol is in the flag of the State of Israel and maybe this is one of the examples of the non-religious use of it. Apart from that, the Shield of David is used in relation to Judaism. There is no surprise that many people choose the Star of David to express pride in their Jewish roots and customs.
Surprisingly in the past the Star of David was only used as decoration, before it was accepted as a religious symbol. It was known as a decorative motif since ancient times until the eighteenth century, where it finally started being recognized as a religious and political symbol. Unfortunately, the symbol was also used mainly by Nazis to stigmatize Jews.
Certainly the Star of David is the one symbol of Judaism that every foreigner is able to recognize. It is well known around the world and it symbolizes pride. Because of that, one can show their spiritual connection and fondness for the Jewish traditions by wearing a Jewish pendant with the Shield of David on it. This is only a small example of the large number of objects there are that have this symbol on them.
There are many jewelry designs that have that emblem of pride engraved on them. This shows the great variety of ways how the symbol is being used. Many of the Jewish jewelry designs include a large number of religious symbols that stand for the philosophy and life of Kabbalah and Judaism. For example, such are the Shield of David, the hand of Miriam, the Menorah, charms with prayers and verses, such as Sh’ma Yisrael.
There are hundreds of different jewelry designs that could be created out of the unique and outstanding shape and beauty of the Star of David. Also all of the different designs could be made out of different precious metals as well as stones. One of the most beautiful examples of Jewish jewelry with the Star of David are the ones made out of gold or silver. These great designs can not only be found in pendants, but also in other pieces of jewelry, such as earrings.
There are new types of pendants with the Shield of David, which are created out of semi precious stones. These designs are based on engraving the symbol on the gemstone instead of trying to form the material into a star, which is quite difficult if the material is stone. It is achieved by using lasers for the edges and then depositing a thin layer of gold on the engraving in order to make the emblem.
All of the different designs of the Star of David pendants show closeness to the Jewish traditions and Israel. Most of the times the symbol is engraved on the pendant together with the hand of Miriam or the Hamsa symbol.
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About Ester Shahaf
