Oregano 2.5.2013

Cyprus post issued an aromatic stamp featuring oregano on 2^nd May 2013. Oregano – or “rouvanos” – is a member of the Lamiaceae family. It is an aromatic bush or semi-bush growing up to 100cm tall with spade-shaped, succulent and thick hairy leaves. It is a species native to Cyprus, restricted mainly to the Pafos forest area and thrives in rocky areas in various habitats, at an altitude between 200-100m. It is used extensively in cooking and is one of the most popular herbs in the Mediterranean cuisine. Oregano is effective against headaches and insomnia and acts as a cure for stomach ailments. It also has analgesic and sedative properties. Its essential oils are extracted and used in the perfumery and pharmaceutical industry. Oregano can be used as an ornamental plant and provides ground cover in combination with other species. It is also used in rock gardens and pots. It thrives in well-drained soil and can be planted from seed.

Thank you My Dear friend Merja for this lovely FDC.

Hanukkah

Hanukkah in Modern Hebrew; a transliteration also romanized as Chanukah, Chanukkah or Chanuka, also known as the Festival of Lights and Feast of Dedication, is an eight-day Jewish holiday commemorating the rededication of the Holy Temple (the Second Temple) in Jerusalem at the time of the Maccabean Revolt against the Greeks of the 2nd century BCE. Hanukkah is observed for eight nights and days, starting on the 25th day of Kislev according to the Hebrew calendar, which may occur at any time from late November to late December in the Gregorian calendar.

The festival is observed by the kindling of the lights of a unique candelabrum, the nine-branched Menorah or Hanukiah, one additional light on each night of the holiday, progressing to eight on the final night. The typical Menorah consists of eight branches with an additional raised branch. The extra light is called a shamash ("attendant") and is given a distinct location, usually above or below the rest. The purpose of the shamash is to have a light available for practical use, as using the Hanukkah lights themselves for purposes other than publicizing and meditating on the Hanukkah is forbidden.

The stamps on this FDC postmarked 9.12.1993 were issued during the Stamp Week celebrating the Festival of Hanukkah from 9^th to 16^th December 1993. I have given below a few details of the stamps on the cover. Seen from Left to Right.

The Rothschild Miscellany. Northern Italy, 1470. Vellum, handwritten, pen and ink, tempera and gold leaf; gift of James A.  de Rothschild, London, the Israel Museum, Jerusalem. Coll. No. 180/51. The Rothschild Miscellany is one of the finest Hebrew illuminated manuscripts.  Almost every one of its 948 pages is richly decorated with colourful  paintings and gold leaf. The book which comprises about forty different compositions, includes biblical books, a prayer book for the whole year, halakhic books (Jewish law) and historical and scientific books. The manuscript, which belonged to the Rothschild family library in Paris, disappeared during the Second World War and reappeared after the war, which it was offered for sale in New York. This series of Hanukka issues comprises 8 stamps representing the 8 days of the festival.The stamps depict objects connected with Hanukka and on the right side of each stamp is an illustration of a Hanukka lamp with candles – from the first candle to the eighth candle.

Hanukka Lamp, Eretz Israel. 20th Century Carved Stone, the Israel Museum, Jerusalem. Israel Museum Collection No. 118/373 Measurements: Height 16.2 cm. Width 37.5 cm. Depth: 20.6 cm. The stamp shows a Hanukka Lamp, the work of a Yemenite artist who lived in Jerusalem at the beginning of this century.  The Hanukka Lamp is carved from Jerusalem stone in the shape of a building with nine triangular pans for oil wicks: eight for the sacred lights and one for the “Shammash” – the extra light from which the Hanukka lights are kindled.  The building, which has a crenellated roof, recalls architecture in the Yemen.

Oil Lamp, Talmudic Period. Reuben and Edith Hecht. Museum, University of Haifa. The oil lamp was used to light both private houses and public buildings.  The lamps were also placed in tombs, as memorial lights and to protect against the “Evil Eye”.  In Israel olive oil was generally used as fuelsince it was the only oil which was acceptable under the laws of the Torah. The lamp from the Talmudic Period, depicted on the stamp, is made of clay using a press mould.  The lamp is decorated with a seven-branched menorah and a shovel.  The menorah is decorated with squares each with a circle in the middle, a design which emphasizes the parts or bulbs which make up the menorah.

Thank you Dear Merja for this lovely FDC.

Bee Keeping in Cyprus 16.10.1989

Honey Bees (Apis mellifera) have been around for millions of years - they were fully developed in their present form probably even before modern mammals had evolved. The oldest recorded evidence is a bee fossil found by Poinar and Danforth in Myanmar, trapped in a piece of amber dated about 100 million years old.  The oldest evidence of apiculture was found in the Cueva de Aranja of Valencia (Spain) where a cave painting dating from the Paleolithic period depicts collection of honey produced by wild bees.

Apiculture, the art of bee cultivating in order to produce honey, is an activity well known to civilizations which had flourished in ancient times such as the Sumerians, Babylonians, Hittites, Assyrians and Egyptians who had included honey in their daily diet, regarding it not only a nutritious food but a therapeutic and pharmaceutical ingredient.

Cyprus honey - Cyprus was well known for its honey since antiquity. We know that during the celebrations in favor of Goddess Aphrodite a sweet product named ‘plakountas’ was offered that was made with honey and dough (or honey, olive oil and flour). The unique Cypriot bee hive, named ‘tziverti’ is also highly praised by many foreign travelers who appear to have been impressed by the fact that Cypriots were cultivating bees literally in their houses. British beekeepers who came to Cyprus during the early colonial period introduced the more productive European hive, that gradually replaced the older traditional type.   

Thank you Dear Merja for this lip-smacking treat of an FDC with very pretty stamps showing the different stages of honey gathering in Cyprus.

1983 EUROPA - Inventions - Iceland 5.5.1983

The theme for EUROPA CEPT stamps in 1983 was "Inventions”. Iceland chose the inventions made in that country for using geothermal energy, for these two impressive stamps.

Due to the special geological location of Iceland, the high concentration of volcanoes in the area is often an advantage in the generation of geothermal energy, the heating and production of electricity. During winter, pavements near these areas (such as Reykjavik and Akureyri) are heated up. This causes heat to come to the surface.

Five major geothermal power plants exist in Iceland, which produce approximately 26.2% (2010) of the nation's energy. In addition, geothermal heating meets the heating and hot water requirements of approximately 87% of all buildings in Iceland. Apart from geothermal energy, 73.8% of the nation’s electricity is generated by hydro power, and 0.1% from fossil fuels.

Consumption of primary geothermal energy in 2004 was 79.7petajoules (PJ), approximately 53.4% of the total national consumption of primary energy, 149.1 PJ. The corresponding share for hydro power was 17.2%,petroleum was 26.3%, and coal was 3%. Plans are underway to turn Iceland into a 100% fossil-fuel-free nation in the near future. For example, Iceland's abundant geothermal energy has enabled renewable energy initiatives, such as Carbon Recycling International’s carbon dioxide to methanol fuel process.  

Thank you Dear Maria for this very interesting FDC.

Loons and Grebes

As usual Aland Post has lived up to its mark of issuing lovely stamps and covers. This time it was on 5th April 2013 (interestingly that was my birthday too :-)).

The four stamp motifs included in this year’s booklet were painted by Swedish artist Bo Lundwall. Since 1989, he has devoted all his time to zoological painting, and he has had many commissions from businesses, private individuals and galleries. Bo has published many books and designed two stamp series for the Swedish Post. His list of exhibitions includes exhibitions in the Nordic countries as well in the USA, and his paintings have been sold in Christie’s Wildlife Art auction in London.

The Black-throated Loon is 60 to 70 cm in length with a 110 to 130 cm wingspan. It is easily distinguished by a grey head and a chequered black- and-white mantle. 

The Red-throated Loon is 50 to 70 cm in length with a 105 to 115 cm wingspan. Its bill is thin and often held pointing slightly upwards. The adult bird has a dark grey head and an all-dark grey-brown mantle. 

The Great Crested Grebe is 45 to 50 cm in length with a 85 to 90 cm wingspan. These birds are easily distinguished from other water birds by their elaborate black and reddish brown wide cheek tufts. 

The Horned Grebe is 30 to 40 cm in length with a 60 to 65 cm wingspan. It is unmistakable with its distinctive bright orange earlike tufts, black cheeks and red neck.

This is the third time Åland Post issued WWF stamps (World Wildlife Fund). Two WWF booklets have been issued previously, one presenting Eagle Owls in 1996 and another featuring Steller’s Eiders in 2001. Issued since 1982, WWF stamps form the largest thematic stamp collection in the world. WWF stamps always feature endangered species. Part of the stamp issue is sold in the form of thematic packs, and part of the profit is donated to WWF to assist them in preserving endangered species. 

Thank you Dear Ella for this wonderful FDC.

60th Anniversary UNPA-Special First Day Cover

The United Nations Postal Administration (UNPA) is the postal agency of the United Nations. It issues postage stamps and postal stationery, denominated in United States dollars for the United Nations offices in New York, in Swiss francs for the offices in Geneva and in euros (formerly schillings) for the offices in Vienna. Postage rates charged are identical to those of the host nation.

To commemorate the 60 ^th Anniversary of the United Nations Postal Administration, a limited edition first day cover in silk was issued on 13 October 2011. A picture of the very first United Nations US$ 0.01 stamp, which was issued on 24 October 1951, along with the US$ 0.11 definitive issued on 4 February 2011, were featured on the cover. The 2011 US$ 5.00 definitive stamp will be affixed and cancelled with the first day of issue cancellation.

Thank you Hemant for this lovely cover.

Lady Bird Johnson

2013 Europa - Postal Vehicles - Åland 6.5.2013

The 2013 Europa theme is Postal vehicles. Aland chose to feature a Toyota Auris Hybrid delivery car. Being a silent-running model with no combustion when standing, this eco-friendly car offers several advantages for the environment.

In recent years, Åland Post has actively committed itself to the environment.  As part of their environmental focus, they obtained four eco-friendly cars of the type Toyota Auris Hybrid and were thus first in Finland to use full hybrid eco-cars for delivery service!

Two advantages of the Auris are that it can be obtained with the steering wheel placed to the right and offers good ergonomics for mail delivery purposes. To emphasize the eco-friendliness, the cars were taped with a decoration illustrating growing green grass. The cars are used for delivery in various parts of Mariehamn.

In some delivery districts, the Post also makes us of electric bicycles, an even more eco-friendly alternative than cars. One of the advantages of e-bikes is that heavier loads of mail can be loaded on the bicycle without adding physical strain on the mail delivery person. An electric automatic transmission starts working when the bicyclist starts pedalling the e-bike, hence facilitating the work.

Thank you Dear Ella for this very nice FDC.

2011 Endangered Species

On 7 September 2011, the United Nations Postal Administration (UNPA) issued a set of 12 stamps depicting endangered species. These are the nineteenth set of stamps in UNPA's multi-year Endangered Species series. The series was launched on 3 March 1993 to highlight the need for the protection of endangered species throughout the world. In 2011 the endangered species feature endangered birds.

The 2011 Endangered Species stamps were designed by Wendy Wray (U.S.A.). After receiving her Bachelor of Fine Arts in dress design from the Art Institute in Chicago, the multi-talented Wendy Wray ran off to Paris for a few years and eventually returned stateside to hang out with the Max's Kansas City/Warhol crew in New York City. Turning her interests towards graphite, and eventually pastel, her trademark work has been heralded for 30 years for its intense details. Ms. Wray most frequently renders intricate images of animals and thoughtful, introspective portraits of people. The peripatetic artist now proudly resides in Denver. These are Ms. Wray's first stamp designs for the United Nations.

The US$ 0.44 stamp depicts the Japanese crane (Grus japonensis). The CHF 1.00 stamp depicts the Black stork (Ciconia nigra) and the The € 0.70 stamps depict the Red-fronted parakeet (Cyanoramphus novaezelandiae).

Mensch ärgere Dich nicht aka Ludo

Mensch ärgere Dich nicht is a German board game, developed by Josef Friedrich Schmidt in 1907/1908. The game was released in 1914 and sold about 70 million copies. It is a cross and circle game with the circle collapsed onto the cross, similar to the Indian game Pachisi, the Colombian game Parques, the American games Parcheesi and Trouble, and the English game Ludo. And who hasn’t played Ludo? Not many I am sure!

The name of the game means "Do not get annoyed" (literally "Do not get annoyed, man" or "Do not get annoyed, buddy"). The name derives from the fact that a peg is sent back to the "out" field when another peg lands on it, similar to the game "Sorry!".  

Thank you Marco for this interesting first day cover dated 11.02.2010

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Aland Cheese6.5.2013

The production and sale of butter and cheese has existed in Aland since the Middle Ages. The first Aland dairy was founded approx. 120 years ago. Today, the dairy cooperative Alands Centralandelslag (ACA) handles the Aland dairy production.

ACA cheeses have won several awards, the most recent success being the 2012 competition for best Finnish cheese. The cheeses “Kastelholm”, “Alands special” and “Prostens magra” came in second, whereas the Aland “Edam” won third place. A total of 107 types of cheese were entered in the competition in 12 different categories.

The Kastelholm cheese featured on the new stamp (issued on 6.5.2013) by Aland Post got its name from the only medieval castle in Aland, located in Sund. The name is thought to originate from a traditional type of double cream cheese which was produced in Sund in the 1500s.

Since then, cheeses with the name Kastelholm have been produced to some extent. In the 1920s, for example, the Kastelholm double cream cheese won several awards in a number of quality competitions.

ACA’s current variety of Kastelholm cheese has tiny eyes and a 31% fat content. Kastelholm cheese must age for at least 6 months for the flavour to develop properly. With a savoury aroma, the aged cheese has a rather sharp and full-bodied taste that grows more intense as the cheese ages. Apart from being sold in Aland and Finland, Kastelholm can also be found in some parts of the Swedish market. The stamp photo was shot at Kastelholm castle.

Thank you Dear Ella for this tasty offering.

Trees of Cyprus 10.10.1994

Now we come to good ole nature, and its generous natural gifts to Cyprus, as amply illustrated on the stamps on this FDC postmarked on 10.10.1994, so thoughtfully given to me by Merja. A brief description of these Trees of Cyrus is given below.

Black Pine (Pinus nigra ssp. Pallasiana). Black Pine (Pinus nigra ssp. Pallasiana) is an evergreen coniferous tree, reaching up to 17-30 in height with a straight trunk. The foliage is thick and conical in shape, and in older trees becomes flattened. The leaves are needle-like and long and are usually in pairs (occasionally found in threes). Male trees produce flowers and the females have large oval cones, found singly or in clusters. Found on pyrigenic slopes at 1200mm above sea level and as high as the Chionistra peak (1952m). A tree of great ecological and aesthetic value. Apart from the Juniper (Juniper foetidissima) it is the only tree which can survive the low temperatures and heavy snow-fall of the Troodos Mountains. It is used in building, furniture making, the construction of cases, and as firewood. It is highly flammable as it contains resin.

Cyprus Cedar (Cedrus libani ssp. Brevifolia). Cyprus Cedar (Cedrus libani ssp. Brevifolia) is an endemic, evergreen, coniferous tree, 20-30 m high with straight trunk. On mature tees the branches spread out in clear horizontal layers. The leaves are small and needle-like on thick spines; there are male flowers and the female cones are large and oval and stand upright on the branches. Natural clusters of the Cedar are now found only in the Tripylos area in the Paphos forest at 1000-1400m above sea level. This area has been declared a natural reserve for flora and fauna in accordance with the forestry law. The cedar is a strictly protected species, of great ecological and aesthetic value. In the past its wood was used for ship-building and furniture making, and is highly flammable because it contains resin.

Golden Oak (Quercus alnifolia). Golden Oak (Quercus alnifolia) is an endemic evergreen shrub or small tree, growing to up to 10m in height with a multitude of branches and broad irregular foliage. The leaves are thick, hard and leathery, oval in shape, dentate and are golden or brown underneath and dark green on top. The flowers are male and the tree bears acorns. The Golden Oak is found in pyrogenic slopes at 700-1900m, and is the main species, together with the rough pine, of forest vegetation of our country. The Golden Oak is an attractive endemic tree of great ecological and aesthetic value and covers large expanses of our forest land either together with other bushy vegetation or as undergrowth beneath conifers. Its stump is able to regenerate itself should it be cut down or burned. It stabilizes sharp slopes and improves the soil. It is used as firewood and makes excellent coal.

Strawberry tree (arbutus andrachne). Strawberry tree (arbutus andrachne) is an evergreen small tree or large shrub, 3-10m high with broad, irregular foliage and typically smooth, chestnut brown bark. The leaves are thick and leathery, broad, oval in shape. The flowers are white and in clusters. Found at heights of 100-1550 m in forests and is of great ecological and aesthetic value. Its fruit is food for many bird species. It is used for firewood and coal. It is relatively resistant to fire and regenerates from its stump.

"No to Violence"

It is clear then that the society in which the individual is educated is vested with immense responsibility for prevention and restraint of violence. Adoption of non-violent solutions to interpersonal conflicts and prevention of over-exposure to violent scenes are likely to make a positive contribution to shaping an enlightened society, one which is pleasant to live in.

The stamp designer, Yael Arad, writes:

"I tried to investigate the consequences of violence as well as its victims, and I chose to focus on battered children. Usually these children do not tell what happened to them at home either because they are afraid or because they do not know that these things 'are not good'. One of the ways of discerning their true situation is through examining their drawings.

"The design is based on motifs of drawing by battered children: missing limbs and limbs out of proportion, or thick lines and strong colors.

"Even though I have used motifs that were designed to express feelings of violence and sadness, I have tried to maintain an ambience of naivete and hope".

Thank you Merja for this FDC which really makes one think about ones behaviour towards others.

Stephan G. Stephansson

This FDC given to me by Maria and postmarked on 1.8.1975 commemorates Stephan G. Stephansson (October 3, 1853 – August 10, 1927), who  was a Western Icelander, poet, and farmer. His original name was Stefán Guðmundur Guðmundsson.

He was born in Skagafjorour, Iceland but emigrated to Wisconsin, USA in 1873, at age 19. In 1889 he moved to Markerville, Red Deer County, Alberta, Canada. He did not see Icel­­and again until 1917, when he was 64 years old.

Stephan was self-educated and worked hard all his life. He wrote after work, and, being an insomniac, he often wrote till dawn. He was under the influence of the American writer Ralph Waldo Emerson and they shared the same beliefs in many matters, including, but not limited to, equal rights for men and women. Stephan wrote only in Icelandic and had great influence in his former home country.

His poems were published in a six volume book called "Andvökur" (Sleepless Nights).

His letters and essays were published in four volumes, and even if nothing of his poetry had survived, those would have been enough to single him out as one of Iceland's foremost men of letters.

His homestead near Markerville is an Alberta Provincial Historic Site. It has been restored and is open to the public from May 15 until August 31.

Europa 2013 - Postal Vehicles 2.5.2013

Cyprus issued the "Europa 2013" of two stamps. The common theme adopted by the European Postal Organisation (POSTEUROP) is "Postal Vehicles".

Thank you Merja for this fine FDC.

Europa 1994 - Discoveries -Cyprus 1.3.1994

My friend Merja gave me this very nice FDC.

Europa 1994 series of stamps by Cyprus consists of two stamps (10c and 30c) and the theme chosen if "Europe and Discoveries". The Cyprus Postal Services have chosen "copper" as their theme which since ancient times has been closely related to the history of Cyprus.

The stamp on the left (10c) depicts smelting or production of Copper. It is not possible to say with accuracy the period when copper was first smelted or the people who discovered it. Natural copper was known and used in Cyprus since the bronze and stone age (3900- 2500 B.C.).

Around 2500 B.C. metal prospectors from Asia Minor arrived in Cyprus and laid such strong foundations for metallurgy that the names Cyprus and copper became synonymous. The ancient Greeks and subsequently the Romans attributed the discovery of copper to the King of Cyprus Kinyras.

For the smelting of copper a temperature of 1085 Celsius is required. The ancient Cypriots were mainly using bellows made of clay in order to help charcoal set ablaze reach such high temperature. Bellows made of clay and stone as well as air shafts of the Later Bronze Age were found in Alassa, in Engomi and Maa, while scenes showing the way the bellows functioned were found in 14th century B.C. in Thebes in Egypt.

The huge masses of rust found in the foothills of Troodos, called "Mavrovounia", are evidence of an intensive production of copper, starting gradually since First Bronze Age and reached its zenith during the Later Bronze Age.

The stamp on the right (30c) depicts Trade in Copper. For the purpose of easy transportation as well as for administrative and economic reasons the metal was converted into ingots of a certain shape and size.

From the correspondence of Pharaoh Akenaton which was discovered at Tel-El-Amarna, dating back to the 14th century B.C., we learn that the King of Alasia (Cyprus) sent to Pharaoh 200 copper ingots. Another letter mentions that he had sent 500 ingots.

Copper ingots of the so called Cypriot Type, were found throughout the Mediterranean and as far away as the Black Sea area. Along the south coast of Asia Minor two shipwrecks of the Later Bronze Age were found, one near the Helidonia Capte and the other near Ulu-Burun. Both shipwrecks contained hundreds of copper ingots as well as numerous Cypriot objects, bearing witness as to the origin of the vessels. The Tel-El-Amarna letters, which also refer to the Royal vessels of Alasia, are now confirmed by archaeological evidence.

A single consignment of 6 tons of copper, discovered in Ulu-Burun constitutes unshakeable evidence of the position held by Cyprus in the copper trade during the Later Bronze Age.

Graphic Design Through High Technology

Although there has always been considerable artistic activity in Israel, as is evident from the fact that Boris Schatz founded the Bezalel Academy in 1906, the era of modern graphic design only really started in the1930s with the influx of professionals from Central Europe.

Among these immigrants were capitalists, graphic designers, publicists and printers. The ports of Haifa (1930) and Tel Aviv (1936) were opened. Haifa's oil refineries were built. Ata, Shemen, Nesher, Phoenicia and many other factories were established. The advertising and printing industries developed to match this developing industrial infrastructure. Some companies, mainly Dubek and Shemen, embarked on systematic advertising campaigns for their products. Their achievements in production, packaging and advertising were displayed in the "Yerid Hamizrach" Fair Grounds in Tel Aviv. Advertising agencies, staffed by experienced professionals, opened their doors.

The need for professional organizations led to the creation of three associations catering to professional advertising people: The Association of Jewish Commercial Artists in Palestine (1935), The Palestine Advertising Association (1937), and The Jewish Decorators Association of Palestine (1937).

The Graphic Artists Association's logo accompanied the Association from the beginning. The first members of the Association, most of them experienced graphic designers, had to fight on many fronts, in particular for the recognition of graphic design as a profession.

In 1963, the Graphic Designers Association of Israel (GDAI) joined "Icograda", the International Council of Graphic Design Associations, which held its 13th international congress in Israel in August 1989. The congress theme was: "Graphic Design Through High Technology?". The Philatelic Service of the Israel Postal Authority issued this special stamp in honor of this congress. The stamp was chosen by the New Stamps Jury following a competition open to members of the Graphic Designers Association of Israel. It expresses the integration of technology (an enlarged photograph of a printed circuit) and the designer's inspiration (a pencil). The strip of colors at the bottom of the stamp symbolizes the translation of the designer's creation to print. The colored squares also allude to the International Congress of Design Associations (Icograda - symbolized by the point of the pencil) which was held in the summer of 1989 in Israel. On the tab is the inscription: "International Council of Graphic Design Associations".

Thank you Dear Merja for this delightful FDC.

Guglielmo Marconi - 100th birth Anniversary 15.11.1974

Guglielmo Marconi (25 April 1874 – 20 July 1937) was an Italian inventor, known for his pioneering work on long distance radio transmission and for his development of Marconi's law and a radio telegraph system. Marconi is often credited as the inventor of radio, and he shared the 1909 Nobel Prize in Physics with Karl Ferdinand Braun "in recognition of their contributions to the development of wireless telegraphy". As an entrepreneur, businessman, and founder of the The Wireless Telegraph & Signal Company in Britain in 1897, Marconi succeeded in making a commercial success of radio by innovating and building on the work of previous experimenters and physicists. In 1924, he was ennobled as a Marchese.

Canada post honoured this great inventor by issuing this stamp and FDC on his 100th birth Anniversary in 1974.

Meadow flowers for summer greetings 6.5.2013

The Summer Bouquet first-class stamp, released as a sheet of ten stamps, is perfect for all kinds of summer greetings. Summer flowers are popular on postcards, and now they come on a stamp as well. The Summer Bouquet stamp was photographed and designed by Päivi Viita. This stamp and FDC were issued on 6.5.2013. 

Thank you Dear Ella for this nice and pretty FDC.

A Century of Books - Jewish National Library

The theme of these three stamps on the FDC is ‘A century of books’ - Jewish National Library.

The National Library of Israel, formerly: Jewish National and University Library - JNUL, is the national library of Israel. The library holds more than 5 million books, and is located on the Givat Ram campus of the Hebrew University of Jerusalem.

The National Library owns the world's largest collections of Hebraica and Judaica, and is the repository of many rare and unique manuscripts, books and artifacts.

The B'nai Brith library, founded in Jerusalem in 1892, was the first public library in Palestine to serve the Jewish community.   
Thank you Merja for this interesting FDC. 

Rabbi Joseph Hayyim

Rabbi Joseph Hayyim was one of the greatest spiritual leaders of the Baghdad Jewish community in recent generations and made his mark on its cultural and spiritual life. He was esteemed not only by the community of his native Baghdad but by Jewish communities all over the world.

Like his father, Rabbi Elijah, and his grandfather, Rabbi Moshe Hayyim, he was a leader of the Rabbis of Babylon and was unique in his influence and the widespread admiration he acquired.

Already from his youth, Rabbi Joseph Hayyim excelled in his studies and showed brilliance. He studied at the Bet Zilkha Yeshiva where he was the special student of the head and founder of the Yeshiva, Rabbi Abdallah Somekh. He became extremely learned both in Torah and in Kabbalah and was also a gifted preacher who could always keep his audience enthralled. He held a very great love for the Land of Israel, and in 1869 made a pilgrimage to Jerusalem where he printed most of his books.

His book Ben Ish Hal on Jewish law, among the most famous of his works, became very popular with the Oriental Jewish communities and was published in many editions.

Among his other well-known works are Ben Yehoyada in five volumes, including commentaries on the legends of the Babylonian Talmud and Ray Pealim which is a work of responsi and Jewish legal research.

Thank you Dear Merja for this FDC.

Iceland - 100th Anniversary of the Universal Postal Union

Iceland also issued these stamps and first day cover to commemorate the 100th Anniversary of the Universal Postal Union. Details about the UPU are in my post dated 3rd June 2013, where I have shown the Canadian FDC celebrating the 100th Anniversary of the UPI,

EUROPA 2013 - Van of the Postman 6.5.2013

Modern times meet history on the Mail Delivery Vehicles stamp sheet. Well, "Van of the Postman", that is the theme of the EUROPA stamps in 2013. "The first-class stamps designed for Finland by Susanna Rumpu and Ari Lakaniemi belong to the EUROPA series of European mail operators.

Modern times are represented by a 2012 Ford Transit Connect delivery van, standing next to a row of mailboxes in a sparsely populated area. The other stamp features a 1933 Volvo LV-70 delivery truck, which used to serve the Suolahti–Reisjärvi–Haapalahti route. In addition to mail, the truck could accommodate 20 passengers. Today, the 80-year-old Volvo is standing in the Mobilia automobile and road museum.

My Dear friend Ella sent this lovely FDC issued on 6.5.2013.

Giulio (Yoel) Racah & Aharon Katzir

Giulio (Yoel) Racah (February 9, 1909 – August 28, 1965) was an Italian –Israeli physicist and mathematician.

Born in Florence, Italy, he took his degree from the University there in 1930, and later studied in Rome with Enrico Fermi. In 1937 he was appointed Professor of Physics at the University of Pisa. In 1939, due to application of Anti-Jewish laws in Italy, Racah immigrated to the British Mandate of Palestine, and was appointed Professor of Theoretical Physics at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, where he was later Dean of the Faculty of Sciences, and finally Rector and acting President. The physics institute at the Hebrew University is named "The Racah Institute of Physics".

In the Israeli War of Independence, Racah served as deputy commander of the Israeli forces defending Mount Scopus.

Racah's research was mainly in the fields of quantum physics and atomic spectroscopy. He first devised a systematic general procedure for classifying the energy levels of open shell atoms, which remains to this day the accepted technique for practical calculations of atomic structure. This formalism was described in a monograph coauthored by his cousin: Ugo Fano (Irreducible Tensorial Sets, 1959).

In 1958, Racah was awarded the Israel Prize in exact sciences.

Aharon Katzir (Aharon Katzir-Katchalsky) (September 15, 1914 - May 30, 1972) was an Israeli pioneer in the study of the electrochemistry of biopolymers. He was killed in the Lod Airport Massacre in 1972.

Born 1914 in Lodz, Poland, he moved to Palestine in 1925, where he taught at the Hebrew University in Jerusalem. There, he adopted his Hebrew surname Katzir.

He was murdered in a terrorist attack at Ben Gurion International Airport in 1972 in which 26 people were killed and 80 injured. His younger brother, Ephraim Katzir, became the President of Israel in 1973.

European Unification

Merja gave me this very interesting FDC. Israel is a neighbouring and associated state of the European Union. The relations between the two are framed in the European Neighbourhood Policy (ENP), the Euro-Mediterranean Partnership, and the Union for the Mediterranean. The main legal ties between Israel and the EU are set by the 1995 Association Agreement. Several other agreement cover sectoral issues. Relations between Israel and the European Union are generally positive on the economic level, though affected by the Israeli–Palestinian conflict on the political level.

The concept of the unification of Europe arose after the Second World War. Those behind the idea sought to bring the countries of Western Europe to work together in unity. The model on which they based themselves was that of the greatest power in the world: the United States of America. Cooperation between the Western European countries and bringing them closer together would yield a number of fruits: it would facilitate the rehabilitation of Europe and ensure its economic revival; in the opinion of all the experts, it would most likely prevent another world war.

The cornerstone for the unification was set by the French Foreign Minister, Robert Schumann. In 1950 he called on Germany to sign an agreement with France on the joint production and marketing of coal and steel. There was nothing more auspicious than Germany and France - two states which had been hostile to each other since 1870 - signing, six years after the end of the Second World War, an agreement which would lead to the unification of Europe. In 1951 the agreement for the setting up of a European Community on Coal and Atomic Energy was signed, which incorporated six slates: Germany, France, Italy, the Netherlands, Luxembourg and Belgium.

In 1957 these six states signed the Rome Treaty, which was an agreement to set up the European Economic Community (the EEC) and to establish a common market between them. In 1975 Eire, Denmark and Great Britain joined the EEC. In 1981, Greece joined the Community: Spain and Portugal n 1985. So the number of countries of the EEC had now doubled from six to twelve.

Each one of the twelve states was asked to ratify the agreement on the unification programme in ts own parliament. Some of them did this through a referendum. So far the Danish people are the only ones to have said no to unification. Just the same, it seems that the process of unification is inevitable. The European Community will ultimately become the largest economic power in the world, with some 380 millIon citizens.

The artists description of the stamp:
The stamp conveys hope for economic growth in Israel as a result of the economic unification of Europe. The use of the economic mofif of a graph, combined with rich co/ours of the upward slanted lines on the graph appearing as the different national flags waving in the wind, together create an optimistic and vital picture.

100 Years of The Universal Postal Union

The world postal service is part of the daily life of people everywhere. Its proper running is essential to the life of the international community. Although not widely known to the public at large, the Universal Postal Union, the co-ordinating body for the world's postal administrations, is one of the oldest intergovernmental organizations in existence.

The Universal Postal Union was founded in Berne, Switzerland, in 1874 as a result of the desire to overcome the great expenses and technical difficulties which hindered the exchange of mails between the countries of the world. At that time, international postal communication was based solely on bilateral agreements between countries, postage rates differed from one country to the next and revenue was apportioned between the originating country, the country of destination and any country through which the mail passed.

At the conference in Berne, representatives from twenty-two states attended, quickly reached an agreement and on9 October 1874 a "Treaty concerning the Establishment of a General Postal Union", commonly known as the "Berne Treaty", was signed. This was the forerunner of a multilateral convention governing the international postal service which came into force l July 1875. In 1878, the General Postal Union became the Universal Postal Union (UPU). That same year, Canada became a member of the UPU. Today there are 150 member countries. The aim of the Universal Postal Union is to secure the organization and improvement of the postal service and to promote in this sphere the development of international collaboration. With the formation of the UPU, the member countries were considered to comprise "a single postal territory for the mutual exchange of letter mail". Herein lies the principle of freedom of transit-the obligation of postal administrations to allow postal items to pass through their countries unimpeded an route from one member state to another. The Acts of the Universal Postal Union contain compulsory provisions for all member countries concerning the organization of the Union and the handling of international letter mail based on unity of the postal territory, freedom of transit and standard postage rates with common scales of weight and charges. Regulations exist which govern the despatch of registered mail, air mail and perishable or fragile items. Optional agreements govern certain specialized aspects of the international postal service such as money orders, insured items, parcels, C.O.D. items and subscriptions to newspapers and periodicals. The UPU constantly reviews the acts of the Union based on proposals put forth by member states or the Executive Council. Every five years, Congress, the "parliament" of the UPU, convenes where the member countries study the proposals and revise the acts to adapt them to new developments in the economic, operational or technical fields. Throughout its existence, the Union has wholly devoted itself to the task assigned by its founders and has also managed to maintain the youth and vigour required to adjust itself to ever changing world conditions. By pursuing its efforts to intensify international collaboration, it is contributing to bringing men and nations closer together.

In the year, 1974, the Universal Postal Union celebrates its centennial and to mark this occasion two stamps will be issued by the Canada Post Office on UPU Centenary Day, 9 October. The stamps, designed by George Gundersen, feature the official emblem of the UPU and an engraving of the messenger god Mercury with two winged horses. The official emblem of the Universal Postal Union is a stylized version of a bronze monument in Berne, created by the sculptor René Charles de Saint Marceaux, for the twenty-fifth anniversary of the UPU. The sculpture shows the globe encircled by five figures representing the races of man, relaying letters to one another. The Indian represents the Americas, the comely Caucasian is Europe, then come the Malayan, the Asian and African, all combining to put a postal girdle around the earth.

Finnish Crazy Sports 6.5.2013

Finnish Posti issued a booklet of 6 funny stamps depicting the crazy sports typical for Finns: carrying a lady, playing swamp soccer, sitting in the ant nest, boot throwing, playing air guitar, and wheeling a cart with a man inside. Stamp designer Bruno Maximus hopes that these humorous stamps would spread all over the world and rouse their recipients’ smile. Finns have a passion for odd contests and they even arrange world championships in various weird sports. Artist Bruno Maximus has picked these peculiar Finnish sports as the themes of the Finnish Odditystamp booklet: wife carrying, air guitar playing, anthill sitting, boot throwing, old-geezer carting, and swamp soccer.

Shy Finns can vent their feelings and anxieties in odd contests where you can just be yourself. I hope that these stamps will travel around the world and put a smile on the recipients' faces, Bruno Maximus says. The graphic designer of the Finnish Oddity stamp booklet is Tero Jämsä.

Since 1991, there have been about one hundred exhibitions by Bruno Maximus, both in Finland and abroad. His works are famous for unexpectedness, fairy tale elements, and delightful humor. Designing stamps was  a very pleasing assignment for Maximus; he has been dreaming of it since he was ten. Bruno Maximus painted the originals in oils; they are 40 cm x 60 cm in size.

Wife carrying

In this competition, you carry a woman (at least 49 kg) through an obstacle course as quickly as possible.

Boot throwing

A sport that requires power and good technique. You throw a rubber boot (about 1 kg) as far as possible.

Air guitar

The idea is to play an imaginary guitar while expressing the music and rhythm.

Old geezer carting

In this contest, a woman competes to carry a man on a milk cart through a course as quickly as possible.

Ant nest sitting

Grit and stamina are needed in this sport, where you don't wear pants and sit on an ant's nest for as long as you can.

Swamp football

Swamp soccer is played for 2 x 10 minutes in a bog pitch of 60 x 35 meters.

Ella I think these games are great, but, I’d prefer to be a spectator and not a participantJ