An Extremely Rare JNF Tzedakah Box, Circa 1920.

An Extremely Rare JNF Tzedakah Box, Circa 1920.

The Blue Box is the establishment of fundraising funds for the Jewish National Fund, which served as both a practical means of raising funds and an educational tool for assimilating Zionist ideology. Over the years, the blue box has become the symbol and brand of the Jewish National Fund and of Zionism.

Beginning in 1904, boxes were produced that were sent to communities throughout the Jewish world, and were common in many Jewish homes and educational institutions. The use of the blue box was quickly accepted and spread, also because it was a member of the charity fund that has been accepted for generations in Jewish culture. By World War II, about a million boxes had been distributed in Europe.

For the first three decades of its existence, the design of the box was not uniform. Many boxes bore the Star of David and the inscription "Keren Kayemeth LeYisrael" on a blue background, but in a variety of designs and shades. There were also cash registers in other colors, for example white or copper. In addition to tin boxes, leather-covered boxes (in Germany) and even folding paper boxes (in Central Europe) were also produced. In the 1930s, the "new box" was designed - the official box in the seller's design - a tin box with a Star of David on one side, a white map of the Land of Israel on a blue background, the areas purchased by the JNF marked on the map, and the caption "Jewish National Fund" at the bottom.

For this reason, we can assume our model was produced in circa 1920. A similar variant -- although with an emblem in the star's center, is seen here.

Very rare.