I never really paid attention to the human figures on banknotes, until recently when I wished to get a closer look at the face of the poetess, Rachel, on the 20 NIS (new israeli shekel) paper bill.
I was surprised there was no mention of her name, only a line from one of her poems "And Perhaps", (poem that had been turned into one of the most beautiful, beloved Israeli song of all times).
I checked the other three banknotes with poet figures : Saul Tchernichovsky on the green 50 NIS banknote, Leah Goldberg on the orange 100 NIS banknote, Natan Alterman on the blue 200 NIS banknote. No names, only a line from their work on the back of the banknote.
There was one name ,though, on the paper bills, the name of economist Karnit Flog, Bank of Israel Governor at the time of the emission of the poets' banknote series in 2014-2017. I found that rather unfair and frustrating. However, maybe, there's a reason for not mentioning the poets' names - I'll have to try and find out what it is.
Rachel Bluwstein (1890-1931) known by her first name 'Rachel', interests me not only for her lovely, simple poems, but also as a woman, and as a person with a tragic life (she died untimely of tuberculosis). Lake Kinneret (The Sea of Galilee) was her whole world (and she was buried close to it).
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"And Perhaps" (Ve Ulai) - lyrics
And perhaps, these things never happened, never existed
And perhaps, I never rose at dawn to work in the field with my own hands, by the sweat of my brow
On the long, blazing days of harvest / while on top of a cart with sheaves/ I never did raise my voice in song
Never did I purify myself with innocence, in the azure waters of my Kinneret
Oh, my Kinneret / were you real or was it my dream?
singer Ester Ofarim