Operation Ezra & Nehemiah Coin

The operation is named for the biblical figures Ezra the Scribe and Nehemiah the Governor, who led the Jewish people's return from Babylonian exile to the Land of Israel in the 5th century BCE. Naming this 20th-century airlift after them frames the modern rescue as a direct continuation of Jewish history, fulfilling the same ancient cycle of exile and return.

Original language (Top): "מבצע עזרא ונחמיה"

Transliteration: Mivtza Ezra v'Nechemia

Translation: “Operation Ezra & Nehemiah”

This emblem marks the 70th anniversary of the operation (1950-2020). The number "70" holds deep significance in Jewish tradition, notably representing the 70 years of the Babylonian Exile before the first return led by Ezra and Nehemiah, further strengthening the historical parallel.

The lines trace the primary air routes from Baghdad and Basra in Iraq to Tel Aviv in the newly-established State of Israel. Some flights, as indicated by the route through Cyprus, required intermediate stops. This map visualizes the immense logistical effort required to transport over 120,000 people across hostile territory.

The aircraft depicted is a Curtiss C-46 Commando, one of the primary planes used in the airlift, operated by El Al and other charter companies. The specific registration number, 4X-ADN, grounds the epic story in a real, tangible piece of machinery that served as a modern-day vessel of salvation, bridging the gap between exile and homeland.

The blue Star of David, the symbol of the Israeli flag and the Jewish people, is placed directly on the path to Israel. Its position signifies that this journey was not merely a migration but a return home, guided by the promise of the Jewish state.

This yellow symbol is a stylized motif drawn from the rich artistic tradition of Iraqi Jewry. It evokes the unique cultural and religious identity developed over 2,600 years in Mesopotamia. Its inclusion acknowledges the ancient and vibrant civilization that the community was forced to leave behind.

The line of figures at the bottom represents the thousands of Iraqi Jews—men, women, and children—who undertook this journey. They are shown waiting, poised between a past they must forsake and a future they are about to embrace, embodying the human element of this historic exodus.

This scene depicts families coming down the stairs from an El Al aircraft, having arrived in Israel. It is a moment of fulfillment, the culmination of a perilous journey and the realization of a two-millennia-old prayer. The figures, carrying their few belongings, represent the courage and faith of an entire community stepping onto the soil of their homeland at last.

Stair Inscription: "אל על" / EL AL (Israel's national airline)

This verse is the definitive expression of longing for Zion during the first Babylonian Exile. By placing it here, the coin powerfully connects the ancient sorrow of exile by the rivers of Babylon with the joy of this modern return. The tears of the ancestors are redeemed by the footsteps of their descendants boarding the plane to Israel.

Original language: "עַל נַהֲרוֹת בָּבֶל שָׁם יָשַׁבְנוּ גַּם-בָּכִינוּ בְּזָכְרֵנוּ אֶת-צִיּוֹן"

Transliteration: Al naharot Bavel sham yashavnu gam bachinu b'zochreinu et Tzion

Translation: “By the rivers of Babylon, there we sat and also wept when we remembered Zion.”

This text explicitly identifies the event being commemorated, providing its name and a clear description for historical clarity.

Original language: "מבצע עזרא ונחמיה / מבצע העלאת יהודי עיראק לישראל"

Transliteration: Mivtza Ezra v'Nechemia / Mivtza ha'ala'at yehudei Iraq l'Yisrael

Translation: “Operation Ezra & Nehemiah / The operation of the immigration of the Jews of Iraq to Israel”

English Inscription: “OPERATION EZRA & NEHEMIAH / The Jewish exodus of Iraqi Jews to Israel”

The official emblem, featuring the Temple Menorah surrounded by olive branches of peace, is placed above the scene. Its presence signifies that the immigrants were not arriving in a foreign land, but were being welcomed home by a sovereign Jewish state, ready to protect them.

This verse from the Book of Proverbs, “Without strategy, a people falls; but with many counselors there is deliverance” is the official motto of the Mossad. Israel's intelligence agency played a crucial, clandestine role in making Operation Ezra and Nehemiah possible. Its inclusion here is a tribute to the strategic wisdom and covert actions required to bring the Jews of Iraq home safely.

Original language: "בְּאֵין תַּחְבֻּלוֹת יִפָּל-עָם וּתְשׁוּעָה בְּרֹב יוֹעֵץ"

Transliteration: B'ein tachbulot yipol-am, u'teshuah b'rov yo'etz.

Translation: “Without strategy, a people falls; but with many counselors there is deliverance.” (Proverbs 11:14)

This element depicts the tragic choice forced upon Iraqi Jews. In order to leave, they had to sign official documents renouncing their Iraqi citizenship and forfeiting all their property and assets. This stamp, with its stark message in three languages, is a solemn reminder that Operation Ezra & Nehemiah was not just an immigration, but a rescue from persecution.

Hebrew: "הליכה ללא שוב" / Halicha l'lo shuv / “Going without return”

Arabic: "روحة بلا رجعة" / Rawha bila raj'a / “A departure without a return”

English: “Exit no return”