Israel, 1948
Otte Wallish (1903-1977)
Postage stamps with selections from scripture
Robert T. Galkin Collection

Otte Wallish moved to Palestine from the Czechoslovakia at the beginning of the World War II and opened a design studio in Tel Aviv. In 1948, leaders of the World Zionist Organization and Jewish Agency for Palestine commissioned him to produce the design for the scroll for Israel?s Declaration of Independence, as well as the new state?s first stamps. Since the name ?Israel? had not yet been determined, Wallish inscribed the stamps: ?Doar Ivri?, or ?Hebrew mail?. He based the design on ancient coins from Judea.