The Roaring Lion Monument

The Roaring Lion Monument

This photograph below depicts the Roaring Lion Monument erected in memory of the eight defenders who fell in the iconic Battle of Tel Hai on March 1, 1920. Located in the cemetery in nearby Kfar Giladi, where the eight soldiers share a communal grave, the Lion of Judah symbolizes the strength and spirit of the fighters. Etched onto the statue are the alleged final words of the battle commander, Joseph Trumpledor: “It is good to die for our country.” The statue was created by Abraham Melnikoff, a soldier in the Jewish Legion and one of the founding fathers of modern Hebrew sculpture. To read a thorough article from the National Library of Israel about the life and work of Melnikoff, with a focus on the Roaring Lion monument, click here

(Photo credit: Nirit Han from the Pikiwiki photo archive)