Peace Signs

I was a child of the 60s, but I didn’t pay much attention to what was happening in the world. I was too busy riding my bike, playing down by the creek, and setting up paper-doll families all over the living room. I overheard adults talking about the anti-war riots, the civil rights marches, and the hippies, but the first decade of my life was about as peaceful as a lazy afternoon in the haymow.

One thing I do remember from those days: the peace sign.
It was everywhere.

I was in my actual 60s when I learned that the famous sign was based on the letters N and D, and stood for Nuclear Disarmament.

Two flags down at a 45 degree angle = N
One flag up and the other flag down = D

Long before this symbol was created, the ancient Jews had a peace sign of their own, also based on a letter of their alphabet.

“Shin” is the twenty-first letter in the Hebrew alphabet. It is the first letter in the word “Shalom,” so it is associated with peace.

When the temple priests gave the Priestly Blessing at the end of the service, they lifted their hands and made the sign of Shin while reciting, “The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make his face shine upon you and be gracious to you; the Lord turn his face toward you and give you peace.” (Num. 6:24-26)

As a child, Leonard Nimoy went to synagogue services with his grandfather. He was intrigued by this sign of “shalom” or peace. As Dr. Spock, Nimoy used the gesture on Star Trek to mean “live long and prosper.”

Maybe it’s time for a new peace sign.
Something we can plaster on t-shirts and billboards.
A universal symbol, easily recognized.
Something cool, groovy, far-out.