Issue Date: March 5, 2019
[press release]
In the Book of Psalms the poet wrote: “I turn my eyes to the mountains”, asking in times of trouble and distress, “from where will my help come?” High mountains that ascend toward the heavens have been perceived throughout history as sacred sites, places where the gods dwell or as worthy places of prayer to God in heaven.
This was not the only reason that people climbed to the mountaintops. The spectacular scenery visible from the summit, the unique plants that could be found there and the animals that lived solely at great heights all lured the people residing at the foot of the mountain to gather their strength and ascend to the summit. In order to preserve this special environment, some of the most noteworthy mountains in Eretz Israel, such as Mount Meron and Mount Karkom, have been designated as Nature Reserves.
Mount Meron
The Mount Meron range towers above the Upper Galilee region. Soaring to the height of 1204 meters above sea level, Mount Meron is the tallest mountain in Ere
tz Israel west of the Jordan River and is one of the rainiest areas in Israel, and even has occasional snowfall during the winter months. These conditions allow plants such as the Wild Peony featured on the stamp, which are typical of the mountains in Turkey and Lebanon, to grow on Mount Meron, the southernmost point of their dispersion. Hiking trails are marked around the summit and along the slopes, leading visitors among the mountain’s many delightful natural and archeological treasures. Important prayer sites lie at the foot of the Mount Meron range, the most significant of which are the grave of Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai which is sacred to the Jews and the grave of Nabi Sablan, a sacred prophet of the Druze people.
Mount Karkom
In the southwestern Negev Desert, along the banks of the Paran River, the flat summit of Mount Karkom is located 847 meters above sea level. The broad flat upper portion of the mountain sits atop steep slopes that soar 200 meters above the surrounding area. The view from the top of Mount Karkom is breathtaking, allowing visitors to see large parts of the arid southern
Negev Desert as well as the Sinai Desert. More than 40,000 rock drawings have been discovered on Mount Karkom and in the immediate area. These were carved by humans and include figures such as the Long Horned Deer that appears on the stamp. Many of the rock drawings show humans with their arms outstretched toward the heavens as if in prayer. The aridness of the area surrounding the mountain (which does not allow permanent inhabitance) along with the existence of the many rock drawings have led researchers to conclude that Mount Karkom served as a sacred place of worship and prayer, visited by caravans of merchants passing through the area and groups of believers who travelled there from distant lands. Prof. Emmanuel Anati, who devoted many years to researching the site, identified Mount Karkom as the Mount Sinai noted in the Bible, however this opinion is not accepted by most researchers in the field.
Description of the Stamps:
Mount Meron Stamp
Photo – Mount Meron Range – Eyal Bartov
Photo – Wild Peony – Lior Almagor
Photo – Hiker – Shutterstock
Mount Karkom Stamp
Photos – Mount Karkom and Rock Drawing – Moshe Rimer
Photos – Hikers and Desert Rhubarb – Eyal Bartov
The St. Louis Stamp Expo will be the site for the Single Frame Champion of Champions competition, beginning with the March 27-29, 2020 show. The announcement was made recently by Mike Ley, president of the American Association of Philatelic Exhibitors (AAPE), which sponsors the competition. The agreement is for three years.
and cooperation from the show committee. The agreement may be extended after the initial three years, or the competition moved to another show at the request of either party.
Australians are fast adopting international shopping traditions with Black Friday and Cyber Monday combining to form the busiest online shopping week in the country, according to the latest research by Australia Post.
General Manager Parcel & Express Services, Ben Franzi, said the research shows a continuing shift in the timing and channels shoppers use to make their key purchases.
Royal Mail has revealed the images of the Marvel Super Hero stamps issued to mark the UK’s celebration of Marvel’s iconic comic stories.
Editor Stan Lee and artist Jack Kirby created a Super Hero revolution when they devised a new world of characters in the early 1960s, including Hulk and Thor.
The 1980s, in particular, saw US comic publishers heavily recruiting British writers and illustrators, who increasingly worked on the American publications and began to inject darker storylines to widen the appeal of the characters. One such artist is Alan Davis, who 
designed the new Special Stamps, and has worked with Marvel since the early 1980s and first illustrated Captain Britain in 1985.
Stamp illustrator, artist, Alan Davis, said: “I really can’t take all the credit for producing these stamps. The speed of production required in US comics makes it necessary to separate the creative disciplines into four individual jobs. Writer, penciller, inker and colourist. My primary focus is writing and pencilling.
The stamps and a range of collectible products are available now to pre-order from 
Doctor Strange
Thor
met Kree hero Captain Mar-vell. After her DNA mixed with his during an explosion, she gained super powers and took the name Ms Marvel. Following the original’s death, Carol took on the mantle of Captain Marvel to honour his legacy. Marvel Studios’ Captain Marvel is in cinemas from 8 March, 2019.
Spider-Man
Black Panther
Peggy Carter
Union Jack
Iron Man
The Board of Directors of NAPEX is pleased to announce the composition of the jury that will judge the exhibits at this year’s show.
traditional choice for wedding bouquets, corsages and boutonnières. In the days of the Victorians, the gifting of a gardenia conveyed a tender message to one’s beloved for those too shy to do so in person.
For added convenience for use on wedding invitations and stationery, the stamps are available in booklets of 10, with five of each design, or coils of 50 offering 25 of each design. A two-stamp souvenir sheet is available for collectors, along with strips of four and 10 stamps from the coil. An Official First Day Cover featuring both stamps is cancelled in Flower’s Cove, N.L. The stamps were designed by Andrew Conlon and Lionel Gadoury of Context Creative, with art by Chantal Larocque, inspired by a photo by Natasha V. The booklet, souvenir sheet and Official First Day Cover were printed by Colour Innovations and the coils printed by the Lowe-Martin Group.
OTTAWA – Étant donné le nombre de timbres floraux utilisés par les futurs mariés sur les faire-part, il semble tout indiqué que Postes Canada ait choisi pour son émission annuelle une fleur traditionnellement associée à l’amour. Portant un parfum enivrant, le délicat gardénia blanc crème a longtemps orné les bouquets de mariage et de corsage ainsi que les boutonnières. À l’époque victorienne, les grands timides l’offraient pour exprimer leur tendresse à la personne aimée.
The Happy Birthday stamp joins the definitive Greetings stamps, which are also issued in the My Own Stamp sheet format.
Science-Oriented Youth is an enrichment program operated in universities and other academic institutions in Israel with the support of the Ministry of Education. The program began offering expanded knowledge of science to Israeli youth at the Weizmann Institute of Science in 1964 and at Tel Aviv University in 1969 and currently operates in a number of additional institutions and units throughout Israel.
The lavish banquets hosted by King Ahasuerus and Queen Esther are well documented in the Book of Esther. The events that led to the Jews being saved occurred during these banquets. The Jewish wise men emphasized the importance of drinking wine during the Purim celebration and the Amora Rava even asserted that people must get drunk on Purim. This mitzvah is represented on the stamp by Queen Esther. The feast to which Esther invited Ahasuerus and Haman brought about the downfall of the Jews’ enemy.
The Jewish wise men learned from the words “sending gifts (plural) to one another (singular) that everyone must send two types of food. A bowl of oznei haman, one of the symbolic foods of Purim, is shown in the hands of one of King Ahasuerus’ horseman, whose role was to deliver the King’s decrees throughout the kingdom.
emphasized that “it is preferable for one to give numerous gifts to the needy than to expand his feast or increase his gifts to peers”. This important mitzvah is represented on the stamp by Mordecai who, according to the Book of Esther “was highly regarded by the Jews” (10:3).
