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Medal of Distinguished Service of the Israel Prison Service

Hebrew name: Itur Hagvura

Awarded by the Prison Commissioner, for an act of exemplary bravery.

Medal versions found:

Original Design - Minted by Kretschmer

Medal: The designer of the medal was Nathan Karp. The original medal is a silver disc of 39 mm diameter and weight 25 gr., showing a stylized candelabra with an olive branch within, above the service emblem. The medals were first minted by Kretschmer of Jerusalem and issued by the Israel Government Coins and Medals Corporation, in 1975.
 Israel Prison - Medal of Distinguished Service -front 1  Israel Prison - Medal of Distinguished Service -back 1 A silver medal without silver mark but with serial number (here covered).

The reverse of the medal has a screw and nut holding the ribbon that is folded over a bar.

Clasp: Pin back, dimensions 45.2 x 14 mm. Silver mark 925 on the lower right corner.

Ribbon: blue with two thin white stripes, width 40 mm.
     
New design

The current medal shows the new symbol of the Prison Service.
 Israel Prison - Medal of Distinguished Service -front 2   This design appeared around 2008.

The medal is probably made of nickel.

The reverse of the medal has 2 screws and nuts holding the ribbon.

No serial number.

Clasp: The metal above the ribbon is rather high. Clutch back. Chrome covered metal.
 Israel Prison - Medal of Distinguished Service -front 3  Israel Prison - Medal of Distinguished Service -back 3
This design appeared around 2022.

The medal is probably made of nickel.

The reverse of the medal has 2 screws and nuts holding the ribbon.

No serial number.

Clasp: The metal above the ribbon is not as high as in the previous type. Clutch back. Chrome covered metal.

Pictures of award events

Medal of Distinguished Service awarded to team of Nachshon fighters

The Minister of Internal Security and the Prison Service Commissioner awarded the Distinguished Service medal to the team of Nachshon fighters who neutralized the terrorist in the attack that happened on a bus in Tel Aviv on January 21 of this year.

Medal of Distinguished Service to Nachshon fighters
Medal of Distinguished Service in frames
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The most left man received the Prison Service medal, the other men got the Distinguished Service medal. The left box has a wooden cover, the other boxes have glass covers. Also the most left medal does not look to have the heavy clasp, so maybe this man received the older version of the Prison Service Medal.

Medal of Distinguished Service awarded to Hilan Bisan

September 2016
Sergeant major Hilal Bisan who was severly wounded in the incident of the barricading of the prisoner Samuel Sheinbein in the Sharon prison, received the exemplary decoration for acting with determination during the incident.

Medal of Distinguished Service awarded to Hilan Bisan
Hilan Bisan 2
Hilan Bisan 3