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Every few years the Philatelic Service issues stamps based on children's drawings. In the past these stamps have been on subjects such as peace, Jerusalem, and road safety. The drawings in this series of stamps are taken from an exhibition called "Children and Young People draw the Bible", which was shown in Tel Aviv in 1990. The drawings for the stamps were chosen from the work of sixth - graders in the Golda Meir School in Holon. Those selected were: Moses in the Bulrushes - by Carmit Orspi; Adam and Eve - by ltai Cohen; Jacob's dream - by Moran Sheinberg and The Parting of the Red Sea - by Avital Kaisar (on the Souvenir Sheet). Using these drawings as a basis, the stamps were designed by Dror A. Gotlib, the graphic designer.
Teaching art in schools is based on the concept that art offers man complete freedom of expression of movement; expression of the senses; expression of thought and feeling. The art inspectorate and the teaching staff in the Tel - Aviv District have developed a number of methods for integrating art instruction with Bible study. Giving stamps biblical themes offers a stimulus to look at the Bible from a non - conventional point of view.
The idea behind designing ''a biblical stamp" stemmed from the correlation between existing concepts in studying biblical texts and in art work. The design of stamps is based on a number of principles; simplicity of concept, symbolism, discarding the superfluous and concentrating on essentials, and using style to match the mood of the period. In this way the pupil attempts to create a significant graphic symbol - a symbol being that which has a significance greater than the totality the eye can see. The process contributes to the development of the pupils' capabilities in verbal and non - verbal expression and their grasp of abstract ideas. Reducing a concept to its basics opens up an exciting, rich and varied world for the children, encouraging them to seek and delve into things deeply.
Designing a stamp presents the pupil with challenges in composition , colour and in graphics - the elements which comprise the language of visual arts. It is important to emphasize that this type of creative work represents the integration of teaching both scripture and art. A chapter of the Bible is first studied thoroughly with the Bible teacher, and in the art class the children are provided with the tools of the language of art, allowing them to connect with the real and the symbolic background of the subject. In order to encompass the full range of subjects in the chapter when drawing the stamp, the pupils are encouraged to design a set of three or four stamps on an envelope; the envelope itself is adorned with a further drawing, set to an appropriate Biblical verse.
Relating to the components of the stamp and the tab, to the drawing and to the texts makes the work much more complex; but through these elements the aesthetic side of the concepts can be emphasized, and they help to internalise the abstract ideas.
