“At the behest of our leader Herzl, I came to Basle to make preparations for the Zionist Congress. Among many other problems that occupied me then was one which contained something of the essence of the Jewish problem. What flag would we hang in the Congress Hall? Then an idea struck me. We have a flag — and it is blue and white. The talith (prayer shawl) with which we wrap ourselves when we pray: that is our symbol. Let us take this Talith from its bag and unroll it before the eyes of Israel and the eyes of all nations. So I ordered a blue and white flag with the Shield of David painted upon it. That is how the national flag, that flew over Congress Hall, came into being.”

„Wie s unsere Aafüerer Herzl befoole het, bin i uf Baasel choo, zum dr Zionistisch Kongräss vorzberäite. Äins vo de vile Brobleem, wo mi denn beschäftigt häi, isch äins gsi, wo uf en Art s Wääse vom jüüdische Brobleems in sich gha het: Was für e Faane wurd in dr Kongrässhalle hänke? Denn han i en Idee gha: Mir häi scho e Faane – und die isch blau und wiss. S Tallit, wo mer is drin iiwiggle, wemm mr bäte: daas isch unsers Sümbol. So nämme mr denn das Tallit füüre und düen s vor de Auge vo Israel und vor alle Völker ufrolle! Also han i e blauwissi Faane bstellt, wo dr Davidstärn druf gmoolt gsi isch. Und so isch d Nazionalfaane entstande, wo über dr Kongrässhalle gwäit het.“