Folder of the 12 Tribes Stamps, interesting inscription and handwritten signature of the Minister of the Interior ...

Folder of the 12 Tribes Stamps, interesting inscription and handwritten signature of the Minister of the Interior Yisrael Bar Yehuda, 1956
Folder of the 12 Tribes stamps. The emblems of the 12 Tribes on a green background presented with affinity to the Emblem of Israel (seven-branches menorah). On the margins of the page, an inscription from 30.8.1956: "I agree only if the word 'Israel' is erased and branches are added to the menorah" - handwritten and signed by Y. Ber-Yehuda, Minister of the Interior. The minister probably referred to changes in the Emblem of Israel: erasing the word 'Israel' and adding branches to the menorah, so that it will not look like the Emblem anymore. Perhaps, the folders were supposed to be sent to Jewish communities in the USSR or Eastern Europe and erasing the name of the state was meant to avoid the impression of governmental involvement, which might have caused damage to the already tense relationship between the Soviet countries.
Yisrael Bar-Yehuda (Idelson) (1895-1965) was active in the Zionist-Socialist Party in the USSR. Due to his Zionist activity, he was imprisoned and exiled to North Russia; however, he was released shortly afterwards in an exchange transaction. After his immigration to Israel in 1926, he continued his political and public activity. He was a Knesset member, minister of the interior and minister of transport. He is especially remembered due to his instruction, in 1958, to register any person as a Jew in the Civil Registry according to his statement, without considering the halachic criteria. This instruction caused a governmental crisis with the religious parties and eventually, it was cancelled by Prime Minister David ben Gurion.