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Jonathan Schwab and Yael Steiner trace the six-pointed star from elegant geometry to existential symbol—an emblem worn proudly on necklaces, weaponized on yellow badges, and planted at the heart of a modern nation.
From Prague’s medieval flag to Kabbalistic speculation to its fraught reinvention in the 20th century, they unravel how a simple hexagram absorbed centuries of Jewish pride, peril, mysticism, and identity—becoming a symbol that somehow carries everything and nothing all at once.
Be in touch. Write to us at nerds@unpacked.media.
Click here for a picture of the badge that Nazis forced Jews to wear.
Click here for a picture of the Israeli flag.
Click here for a recap of the information discussed in the episode.
Click here to watch Unpacked’s YouTube video “The Surprising History of the Star of David.”
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