Israel is an interesting country that has revived after the Second World War. Palestine was liberated from English rule. The United Nations Organization officially divided the territory into Arab and Israeli states. Today, Israel is a country that has reached a high level in the fields of economy, social development, and medicine.
National currency
Like any state, Israel has created its own monetary system. The new shekel is the national currency. And small coins of Israel are called agora (agorot). One shekel is equal to 100 agorots. The largest bill in the country is 200 shekels. It is designated in the international format ILS.
What does the name of the Israeli currency mean “shekel”? This is a very ancient name for the measure of weight that was used in biblical times when calculating silver or gold. Even in the Bible there is a mention that Abraham, buying a field, paid 400 shekels for him in silver. We can say that the Israeli shekel is a very ancient concept, which has been preserved and is still used. Today, there are banknotes and coins of various denominations. Banknotes in 5, 10, 20, 50, 100, 200 shekels. And also money in the form of coins in denominations of 1, 2, 5, 10 shekels. A smaller change coin is 10, 50 agorots.
Guests in Israel
What is the situation with the currency today in Israel? As in the whole world: guests arriving in the country can carry any banknotes with them - there are no restrictions. You can exchange them for the currency of Israel at any bank or specialized point. It is possible to do this already upon arrival: at the airport, at the hotel and even by mail. The same thing is done before leaving the country: there are shekels left - you can exchange it for the desired currency before departure. It is believed that the most profitable course offers a private exchange point. Large shopping centers in the country accept not only shekels for payment, but also another freely convertible currency - the US dollar. You can pay in dollars, and change by local coin. But small shops, markets, public transport accept only shekels. As in the entire world market, the exchange rate is also changing here: Israel has an international convertible national monetary system. It is advisable to make the exchange precisely upon arrival in the country - this is much more profitable.
Taxes in the country
Not only cash, but also credit cards are accepted in Israel. This is the most convenient way of cashless payments for almost everything - even for transport services. The system of ATMs in the country is very developed, their network covers all corners of Israel. And you can cash money at any time and everywhere. All purchases that will be made in the country are subject to 17% VAT. But there is an opportunity to return part of the tax, having kept receipts for purchases, and present them at customs.
The modern currency of Israel, the new shekel, is freely convertible; it is considered international. True, she has become one since 2003. What is the position of the shekel in relation to world currencies? Its relation to the dollar can be seen at the current rate: 3,579 shekels should be paid for 1 US dollar. Today they pay 4.702 for 1 euro , and 3.296 shekels for 1 Canadian dollar. Fluctuations are not very noticeable, and therefore the course can be called stable. In relation to the ruble, it grew slightly, but not significantly: one shekel is equal to eight rubles.
Banknotes of the country
The Israeli shekel, the rate of which does not experience sharp jumps, can be called one of the reliable international currencies. The name of the country's money is unique and causes associations only with Israel. Since 1985, this is a new shekel, since the old one at that time depreciated and money reform was carried out in the country. Before him, lira and pounds were used in Israel - this was the legacy of the colonial past connected with Britain.
In Israel there are no such banknotes as 500 and 1000. The largest running bill is 200 shekels. And metal money - 10, 5 and 1 shekel. Agoroths, a bargaining chip of Israel, are always popular and in great demand. In translation "agorot" is a penny, a trifle.
World landmarks
In order to navigate the world, a course was chosen on leading currencies. These are the dollar, euro and pounds of Britain. To date, the situation at the auction, political fluctuations in the world affect the shekel. Its relation to the dollar remains virtually unchanged and holds approximately one-third.
Consider what a bill of 20 shekels looks like. First of all, it is worth noting its size - 7.1 X 13.8 cm. It shows the first Minister of Foreign Affairs of Israel - Moshe Sharet (1894-1965), who graduated from Istanbul University and was a native of Kherson. The portrait itself consists of the initials of M. Chareth. In addition, the bill depicts the ceremony of raising the flag of Israel in 1949 in front of the UN building and the flag of Israel itself among the banners of the UN member states. On the free field, as a backdrop, a quote is written from Chareth’s speech during the ceremony and a text he uttered on the radio in 1944 in Italy. The bill also depicts volunteers who join the Jewish brigade of the Allied forces and Khoma u-Migdal - an old watchtower of a Jewish settlement.
The largest bill
200 new shekels is a banknote of the same size as a denomination of 20. Only the writer, public figure, and third Israeli president, born in Belarus, is Zalman Shazar (1889-1974). On it you can see the interior of the school class and a printed excerpt from the speech of President Shazar, which he made in the Knesset during the adoption of the law on school education. Also shown is a street located in Safed, the spiritual center of Kabbalists. As a background, an excerpt from the work of Shazar 1950 is printed. In addition, the bill contains a list of titles of 15 books of the third president Zalman Shazar.
Coins of Israel
The first own coins in the country were issued in 1948. But the gold came out for the first time in 1960. In 1980, monetary reform began and was carried out over five years: until 1985, 10 old agorats changed to one new one, new shekels were introduced. They minted and other bargaining chips. On one of them you can see the handshake of the heads of the three states. This is the first image on the Israeli coins of the US president. There are captured Sadat, Begin and Jimmy Carter. The coin was released in 2010 and is dedicated to the presentation of the Nobel Peace Prize to Menachem Begin.
In 1977, Anwar Sadat arrived in Jerusalem , who took the first step towards reconciliation. These events took place at Camp David. As a result of the efforts, negotiations were held between Israel and Egypt. And then a peace treaty was signed in Washington, on the lawn of the White House. Already in 1978, Sadat and Begin were awarded the Nobel Peace Prize. These are not the first coins of Israel in the series. The first were dedicated to Shmuel Yosef Agnon, who received a prize in the field of literature in 1966.
Commemorative coins
Coins of Israel reflected this historic moment. On the obverse is an engraved profile - a bust of the Prime Minister and the inscription "Menachem Begin, Nobel Peace Prize." It is made in Hebrew and in English, and between them is the date - 1978. In many countries, jubilee and regular coins are issued that are dedicated to certain historical events. So in Israel they were created for memorable days: in 1962, 100 Lirot dedicated to Chaim Weizmann were released, and in 1996 they released 20 new shekels in honor of Yitzhak Rabin.
For each country, attributes such as flag, coat of arms, anthem, and national currency are important. They constitute the foundations and signs of statehood, independence. And all the inhabitants of the Earth are well acquainted with the history of the Jewish people, their difficulties in obtaining freedom and recognition of the country. Therefore, his desire to preserve his historical values, which are expressed even in the name of banknotes and coins, becomes clear. Including dedication to their anniversaries, Nobel laureates.