---
title: "What is on Israel's banknotes?"
description: "The Israeli new shekel: who is on each denomination, what was withdrawn and why, what the notes are printed on, and whether the sizes differ."
url: https://atoneplace.net/banknote/israel/
site: "At One Place"
---

# What is on the money in Israel?

**The money in Israel: Israeli new shekel (ILS, ₪)**

4 denominations in issue · Cotton and linen, not wood pulp

Every current denomination carries a poet, with lines of their verse micro-printed into the design — an unusual choice for a currency, and a deliberate one, arrived at after a decision to move away from political figures. Two of the four are women. The notes have raised tactile lines for blind users, in a different count on each denomination.

## Who and what is on each note

| Note | Who or what is on it |
| --- | --- |
| ₪20 | Rachel Bluwstein, poet |
| ₪50 | Shaul Tchernichovsky, poet |
| ₪100 | Leah Goldberg, poet |
| ₪200 | Nathan Alterman, poet |

## The unusual part

A currency where every note is a poet, with their own lines printed as security microtext.

## The practical facts

- **Currency:** Israeli new shekel — ISO code ILS, symbol ₪
- **Printed on:** Cotton and linen, not wood pulp
- **Survives a wash?:** Usually. Cotton and linen notes tear rather than dissolve, and generally survive a wash.
- **Can a blind person tell them apart?:** Yes — the denominations differ in size, which is the simplest and most reliable tactile cue there is.
- **Highest note in issue:** ₪200 — Nathan Alterman, poet

> This page describes the notes rather than showing them. Reproducing a banknote image is restricted in most jurisdictions, and the restrictions differ between them.

## Common questions

### Who is on the money in Israel?

₪20: Rachel Bluwstein, poet. ₪50: Shaul Tchernichovsky, poet. ₪100: Leah Goldberg, poet. ₪200: Nathan Alterman, poet.

### Are Israel's banknotes polymer or paper?

Cotton and linen, not wood pulp.

## Related pages

- [Israel](https://atoneplace.net/country/israel/)
- [The flag of Israel](https://atoneplace.net/flag/israel/)
- [The money in United States](https://atoneplace.net/banknote/united-states/)
- [The money in Eurozone](https://atoneplace.net/banknote/eurozone/)
- [The money in United Kingdom](https://atoneplace.net/banknote/united-kingdom/)
- [The money in India](https://atoneplace.net/banknote/india/)
- [The money in Japan](https://atoneplace.net/banknote/japan/)
- [The money in Zimbabwe](https://atoneplace.net/banknote/zimbabwe/)
- [The money in Australia](https://atoneplace.net/banknote/australia/)
- [The money in Canada](https://atoneplace.net/banknote/canada/)
- [The money in China](https://atoneplace.net/banknote/china/)
- [The money in Switzerland](https://atoneplace.net/banknote/switzerland/)

## Sources

- Official vendor product documentation — At One Place (/about/)