Original Israeli poster for “Poppy Day Appeal (Israel)”, dated 7 November, shortly after the War of Independence. The campaign was initiated by the Organization of Disabled Veterans in Israel, inspired by the British tradition of wearing red poppies in memory of fallen soldiers.

IDF

The striking design shows the silhouette of a soldier, a mother and child walking hand in hand, and a large red poppy flower – symbolizing remembrance and sacrifice. The text calls: “Give Generously!” in both Hebrew and English, appealing to the public to donate generously in support of war invalids and bereaved families.

Historical Significance

This poster is not only a piece of graphic art but also a rare testimony to the transitional years after Israel’s War of Independence. At that time, the young state was shaping its own national identity while still drawing influence from British cultural traditions. The adoption of the red poppy symbol in Israel reflected both continuity with the British Mandate era and the urgent need to care for thousands of new war invalids and bereaved families.

By the mid-1950s, Israel developed its own symbols of remembrance – such as Yom HaZikaron and the siren commemorations – making the Poppy Day Appeal a short-lived but historically important practice. Today, these posters are highly sought-after by collectors for their rarity and for their role in documenting how Israeli society remembered its fallen in the early years of statehood.

• Size: 70 × 50 cm (27.5 × 19.6 in)

• Printing: Lithograph

• Condition: Very good, with minor signs of age

• Period: Early 1950s, post-Independence War

A rare and valuable historical artifact, merging Israeli nation-building with international traditions of remembrance.

Keywords: Israel poster, War of Independence, remembrance, veterans, Zionism, vintage, Poppy Day

Design  by Rothschild & Lipman

יום הפרג יום הזיכרון לחללי צהל
פרחים פרח FLOWERS