Service ribbons and decorations
awarded by the Ministry of Defense

The service ribbons presented here are awarded for acts and services in the struggle for the establishment of the state of Israel, which gained independence at May 14, 1948.
The ribbons are granted according to decisions by the government of Israel and the ministerial committee for symbols and ceremonies, with exception of the ribbon for Fighters against Nazis, which is awarded by regulation of Yad Vashem (Holocaust Memorial) of the Law on "Remembrance and Holocaust".  Only this last ribbon is accompanied by a medal.

Anyone who was active in more than one underground movement is entitled to the ribbons of all these organizations, according to the following rules:

 

Hashomer Ribbon (Hashomer - Guild of Watchman)

Awarded to all who were members of Hashomer between the years 1909 and 1920.

In case the eligible person died, a member of his family (husband, wife, parent, brother, sister, child or grandchild) may request to receive the ribbon.

Presentation of the ribbon started in 1981. Look here for samples of the award document

 


Nili Ribbon
Awarded to all who were members of Nili between the years 1915 and 1917.

In case the eligible person died, a member of his family (husband, wife, parent, brother, sister, child or grandchild) may request to receive the ribbon.

Presentation of the ribbon started in 1981. Look here for ribbon versions, the award document and the award ceremony

Haganah Ribbon (Haganah - self defense)
Awarded to:

a) those who were members of the Haganah organization for a period of at least six months between 1920 and the Day of Independence of Israel.

b) all members of the Haganah who were killed, wounded, arrested or took part in operations.

In case the eligible person died, a member of his family (husband, wife, parent, brother, sister, child or grandchild) may request to receive the ribbon or replacement of lost or worn ribbon.

Presentation of the ribbon started in 1958. Look here for details of the award ceremony and the award document and ribbon versions

Etzel Ribbon  (Irgun Zva'i Leumi - National Military Organization)
Awarded to:

a) those who were members of Etzel for a period of at least six months between 1937 and the Day of Independence of Israel.

b) all members of the Etzel who were killed, wounded, arrested or took part in operations.

In case the eligible person died, a member of his family (husband, wife, parent, brother, sister, child or grandchild) may request to receive the ribbon or replacement of lost or worn ribbon.

Presentation of the ribbon started in 1979. Look here for the award document. Look here for details of the award ceremony.


Lehi Ribbon (Lohamei Herut Israel - Freedom Fighters of Israel)
Awarded to:

a) those who were members of Lehi for a period of at least six months between 1940 and the Day of Independence of Israel.

b) all members of the Lehi who were killed, wounded, arrested or took part in operations.

In case the eligible person died, a member of his family (husband, wife, parent, brother, sister, child or grandchild) may request to receive the ribbon or replacement of lost or worn ribbon.

Presentation of the ribbon started in 1980. Look here for the award documents.


Volunteers Ribbon
 

Ben Gurion (r.) and Ben Zwi in uniform of the Jewish Legion, WWI
Awarded to:

a) volunteers in the Jewish Legion during the First World War.

b) Israeli citizens or those who during permanent residency in Palestine, during the First World War, upon demand of the national Jewish institutions volunteered to serve in the Turkish army.

c) citizens or permanent residents of Israel who during the Second World War, voluntarily served in the British army before 8.11.1944. In case the voluntary service started on or after this date, a minimum period of 6 months service is required. (Any citizen who voluntary served in the British army during the Second World War is also entitled to the Fighters against Nazis Ribbon)

In case the eligible person died, a member of his family (widow, parent, brother, sister or child) may request to receive the ribbon or replacement of lost or worn ribbon.

Presentation of the ribbon started in 1961. Look here for the award document and ribbon versions.


Mishmar (Guards) Ribbon
Awarded to citizens or permanent residents of Israel who, between 1936 and 1939, during a period of at least six months served in one of the following organizations:

a) the Jewish Settlement Police

b) Special Night Squads

c) Notrut guard units

d) Palestine Police

e) Supernumery Palestine Police

Regarding the three last organizations, the condition exists that the enlistment was approved by the national Jewish institutions. In case the eligible person died, a member of his family (widow, parent, brother, sister or child) may request to receive the ribbon or replacement of lost or worn ribbon.

Presentation of the ribbon started in 1963.
Look here for a picture of someone wearing this ribbon. Look here for the award document.
Look here for the program of the Notrim award ceremony held in Tel Aviv at January 29, 1964


Fighters against Nazis Ribbon
Awarded to citizens or permanent residents of Israel who, during the Second World War participated in the fight against the nazi enemy and his aids, as a soldier in the Allied Forces, including the Jewish Brigade Group in the British army, as a partisan or as a member of an underground resistance group, in the period between 1 September 1939 and 1 September 1946, as by Yad Vashem regulation of 1968 and the Law on the Second World War Veterans of year 2000.

In case the eligible person died, a member of his family (husband, wife, parent, brother, sister, child or grandchild) may request to receive the ribbon or replacement of lost or worn ribbon.

Presentation of the ribbon started in 1967. The document states that the ribbon may be worn on Independence Day and official occasions. Look here for details of the award ceremony and the award document, here is a picture of someone wearing this ribbon.

The medal that was instituted after the ribbon. On the back appears the symbol of the State of Israel and the text: Fighter against the Nazis - veteran of the Second World War. 

Decoration of State Warriors (for civilian wear)
 

Awarded to members of military or paramilitary organizations who fought for the establishment of the state of Israel, from haShomer in 1909 till the independence of Israel. The ministerial committee for symbols and ceremonies decided that requirement of eligibility to the decoration is service during at least six months in any of the following organizations or frameworks:

a) Hashomer
b) Nili
c) Haganah
d) Etzel
e) Lehi
f) all the organizations dealing with immigration (ha'apala)
g) guards (Notrut) and volunteers to the police force of the mandate government
h) Jewish battalions in the First World War
i) soldiers of the Allied Forces, underground fighters, partisans, ghetto fighters, resistance fighters in concentration camps during the Second World War.
j) Machal - Overseas Volunteers and Gachal - drafted new immigrants. For these two groups, no minimum time limit applies.

In case the eligible person died, a member of his family (husband, wife, parent, brother, sister, child or grandchild) may request to receive the decoration or replacement of lost or worn decoration. Presentation of the decoration started in 1968. Look here for pictures of the award ceremony and the award document. The decoration consists of a nickel pin, height 13 mm, width about 15 mm and slightly larger than the similar badge mounted on the War of Independence Ribbon.

 

 
Mandate Prisoners Decoration

Awarded to anyone who was arrested or jailed by the British authorities because of his activity or membership of one of the underground, military or paramilitary organizations that took part in the struggle against the British rule in the land of Israel during the period before the establishment of the State of Israel, and who because of this service was in prison for a period of at least six months.

In case the eligible person died, a member of his family (husband, wife, parent, brother, sister, child or grandchild) may request to receive the decoration or replacement of lost or worn decoration.

Presentation of the decoration started in 1984.

The decoration consists of a nickel badge, height and width about15 mm.
Look here for the award document.


 
Israel Security Award named after Eliyahu Golomb

The highest possible decoration, not for a single heroic battle action but for outstanding contributions to the security of Israel.. Awarded by the Minister of Defense. The award, instituted in 1958 and named after the founder of the Haganah, Eliyahu Golomb, is granted yearly around Independence Day.

The decoration consists of a pin, height and width about15 mm. There exist 3 versions of the pin, for first, second and additional wards.

The goal of the award is to encourage researchers, engineers and other personnel of the security services as well as civilian scientists to contribute in their work to the security of Israel. Any civilian or serviceman who considers himself eligible to the award may propose his candidacy. The award can also be granted to groups of up to 8 people. Maximum 2 awards may be granted for the development of weapons or defense systems that entered operational service. One award may be granted for life achievement.

It is not possible to gain the award twice within 5 years. For reasons of security not all the details of the winning projects and names of awardees are published and the award ceremonies are only partially covered by the media. Up till the year 2002 642 awards were granted to 705 persons, among this 10 times for life achievement.  Look here for pictures of recipients and award ceremonies. In the order of wearing decorations, this decoration is ranked first.

Twice awarded First time award

 

Sources: https://www.mod.gov.il/Citizen_Service/clalim/otot/Pages/Service_Ribbons.aspx
https://www.mod.gov.il/Citizen_Service/clalim/otot/Pages/decorating.aspx