Here you can find pictures of soldiers participating and receiving the official medals of this famous event.
IDF Marching Medals |
Continue to Civilian Marching Medals |
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IDF soldiers had been taking part in the "International Four days
Marches" in Nijmegen, Netherlands,
the largest multiple-day marching event in the world. Here you can find pictures of soldiers participating and receiving the official medals of this famous event. |
Starting in 1955 the Israel Defense Forces organized the "Four days marches" similar to those in Nijmegen, Netherlands. From 1957 onwards the goal of the last day of the marches was Jerusalem. Since 1974 the march is a one day walk around Jerusalem and called the "Jerusalem march". The medals were issued with a blue-white ribbon. They were never officially recognized as military service medals. This in contrast to the four days marches in the Netherlands, that were behind the idea of the IDF marches.
Here pictures can be seen of the 1957 award ceremony.
More about the history of these marches can be found in the Yediot Ahronoth article (Hebrew language only) of 18.4.2003, of
which scans are to be found here.
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| The last meters of the 160 kilometer of the four-day march to Jerusalem, outside the "Binyanei Ha'ooma", Jerusalem Congress centre. |
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| Israeli Paratrooper Women. Note the first soldier wearing the medal on her uniform. |
The medal that was presented to the participants in 1955 was of a type as used for many events: the front shows the IDF symbols and name, the back was inscribed: 4 Days Marches 1955. From 1956 a specially designed bronze medal was awarded. From 1968 the medal did not longer contain the text " 4 Days March" but "1968 March". Since 1974 the text is "Jerusalem March". All medals were produced by Kretschmer company.
| The medals of the first march in 1955 |
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| The 1956 -1960 type medals |
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| 1956 | 1957 | 1958 |
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| 1959 | 1960 | Five times participant |
| 1961 - 1967 type |
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| 1961 | 1962 | 1963 |
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| 1964 | 1965 | 1966 |
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| 1967 | 5 times participant | 10 times participant |
| 1968 - 1971 type |
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| 1968 | 1969 | 1970 | 1971 |
| 1972 - 1978 type |
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| 1972 | 1973 | 1974 |
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| 1975 | 1976 | 1977 |
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| 1978 | 15 times participant | On the reverse of the 1977 medal:for taking part in 20 marches |
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| On the reverse of the 1973 medal: 25 Years Israel | The ribbon |
Certificates of participation
Every participated had such a card
The certificate awarded at completion of the march
Click here to see more certificates
Pictures of a beautiful collection of the medals
A private modification for 9 times participating
A medal of the Canadian Jewish community for the March to Jerusalem, a yearly fundraising event in Montreal. Not related to the Jerusalem march in Israel.
Click to enlarge picture.
The Four Days March was a national event
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