Palm tree resembling the image on a coin of the Bar Kokhba Revolt; "Israel" in Hebrew and Arabic.

Bar Kokhba (Son of Kokhba) (also Bar Kochba, Bar Kochva, Bar Cochva) is a name of Simon bar Kokhba, the leader of the Bar Kokhba revolt. The Bar Kokhba revolt (AD 132–136) was the third major rebellion by the Jews of Judaea Province and Eastern Mediterranean against the Roman Empire and the last of the Jewish–Roman Wars. Simon bar Kokhba, the commander of the revolt, was acclaimed as a Messiah, a heroic figure who could restore Israel. The revolt established an independent state of Israel over parts of Judea for more than two years, but a Roman army made up of six full legions with auxiliaries and elements from up to six additional legions finally crushed it. The Romans then barred Jews from Jerusalem, except to attend Tisha B'Av. Although Jewish Christians hailed Jesus as the Messiah and did not support Bar Kokhba, they were barred from Jerusalem along with the rest of the Jews. The war and its aftermath helped differentiate Christianity as a religion distinct from Judaism.

1961 has two variations: without and with “Fatha” in Arabic legend: small line over letter ra (ر‎) in “Israel”.

Design: Gerd Rothschild & Ze'ev Lippman

Denomination and date in Hebrew.

All dates on Israeli coins are given in the Hebrew calendar and are written in Hebrew letters. Hebrew dating formed from a combination of the 22 consonant letters of the Hebrew alphabet and read from right to left.

Design: Gabriel Shamir & Maxim Shamir