The Israeli flag, was created by Jacob and Charles Askowith as the “flag of Judah” in 1891 and was displayed on July 20, 1891, in the hall of the B’nai Zion Educational Society in Boston, Massachusetts. Inspired by the Talit, Jewish prayer shawl, it featured a white background with slim blue stripes and the Shield of David. The flag was presented in 1897 at the first international Zionist Congress. The flag was raised upon Israel’s declaration of independence in 1948. The Knesset recognized it as the official national flag on November 12, 1948.
Israeli law doesn’t specify the exact color, but a dark blue shade was described in a notice (February 18, 1950) of the Israel Office of Information. Lighter shades of blue were used in earlier flags and are still used by some Israeli organizations, but it is said that lighter colors would fade easily in the brilliant sun of Israel.
