The shekel represents heritage. It has a rich history, dating back to ancient times. The biblical shekel was a silver coin and served as a standard of value. In modern times, Israel adopted the shekel as its official currency in 1980, replacing the Israeli pound or lira. Today, the shekel remains significant, reflecting the economic and historical ties of the region. The shekel represents our history, and at the same time it represents our hope for the future.
The shekel has the same representation for me on a personal level. When I was a young girl, I was walking with my older brother at the local mall. I was marveling at the fact of how prices of items have changed so much over the years, especially since our parents’ time. I then said to my brother, “Imagine what the cost of this item will be in dollars when you have kids.” To that my brother responded, “It won’t be in dollars but rather in shekalim.” Well sure enough a few years later my brother got married and then later moved to Israel. His words came true and he and his family use our ancient money currency today in our land of Israel.
Just like our prayers and our language; the shekel, our money currency, connects us to our past, present and future. It’s a testimony of us as a people. We have been around for thousands of years and will continue to exist.
