Israel - 30th Anniversary First Immigrant Runners Medal 1964 - 59 m"m, Silver 935, 117 grams

Israel - 30th Anniversary First Immigrant Runners Medal 1964 - 59 m"m, Silver 935, 117 grams State Medal, 5724-1964 The restrictions on immigration imposed by the Mandatory Government violated the rights of all Jews throughout the world to settle in Palestine. The full impact of the restrictions became most evident during the Second World War when refusing entry to European Jews meant abandoning them to their fate, as well as during the War's aftermath, when the pitiful survivors were languishing in barren camps. At the same time, life for Jews in Arab lands became increasingly unbearable. The first ship carrying illegal immigrants was the "Velus" which landed in 1934 to be followed by scores of other ships leased in Europe by Israeli agents mostly "Haganah" emissaries. Some of these ran the blockade successfully, others tried and were seized by the British Navy. There were attempts by land as well. Medal Description Obverse: The Mediterranean and Black Sea basin are shown in relief upon a schematic drawing, lines followed by the blockade runners all converging on the Israeli shores. Engraved on the surface are the dates "5694-5724, 1934-1964". Around the rim, the inscription in Hebrew and English. "30th Anniversary of First Immigrant Runners". Reverse: A barbed wire fence seals off the Israeli coast. A blockade running ship breaks through the fence and approaches the beach where it is met by the local people receiving it with raised arms. Beneath, below the line of the River Jordan, a phrase from Deuteronomy (1:41): "Ye dared to go up" in Hebrew and English.