This year, for the first time, KKL-JNF’s symbol for Israel’s 76th Independence Day was designed by students.
The chosen symbols were created as part of a competition, an initiative of the Education and Community Division of KKL-JNF and the Art Department in Israel’s Ministry of Education, which began at the beginning of the school year last September, and invited students in middle and high schools to design the symbol for Israel’s 76th Independence Day.
On Oct. 7, the people of Israel woke up to the most terrible disaster that ever occurred in Israel. But despite or perhaps because of the disaster, it was decided to continue the activity process aiming to strengthen the students through engagement in design and themes of heritage and Zionism.
“I received the task with a short notice. It was already after Oct. 7, when we, teachers and students, were trying to grasp onto every piece of optimism,” says Amit Mizpeh, an art teacher at Ort Rabin Middle School, whose students won first place in the competition. “As a digital art teacher, my students were already dealing with the military aspects in my lessons, so engaging with the topic of designing the Independence Day symbol was both continuity and something more optimistic. To my joy, the students connected very much to the task, took it seriously, and dedicated thought to every element of the design. We were very excited to hear about the win, we are proud of our students. It’s a great honor and pride for our school.”
KKL-JNF chairwoman, Yifat Ovadia-Loski explained: “Especially in these challenging times, there is paramount importance for Israeli citizens to unite around the symbols of the country. KKL-JNF is a symbol of renewal and labor of the land, and even in this period, we are assisting the recovery of the affected communities in the Gaza Envelope. We thank the students who took part in the competition to design the national symbol that will appear alongside the state symbols, and this is a unique way to express how they see Israel and its promising future.”
And the winners are …
Out of 41 designs from students from all over the country, four winners were chosen.
In first place, the symbol designed by Omer Halvenbrand and Daniel Goldenberg from seventh grade at Ort Rabin Middle School in Kiryat Motzkin was chosen. They won a two-day class trip, a KKL-JNF gift.
In second place, the original and unique design by Eva Kovalenko from Atid School named after Yoana Jibotinsky in Be’er Ya’akov won. Eva won a class trip day, a KKL-JNF gift.
And in third place, two students won: Taïsia Reznik from Atid School named after Yoana Jibotinsky in Be’er Ya’akov; and Noa Ne’eman from Ahel Shem High School in Ramat Gan. They won an educational activity for the entire grade, a KKL-JNF gift.
In their decision, the judges wrote: “The chosen symbol conveys a message of optimism, hope and growth. The colors and landscapes in it convey these messages. The agriculture and houses in the symbol can hint at the connection to the periphery and communities in the area, and the sun rays create a feeling of growth and development.”
Intended to be attached to a white shirt lapel, the symbol will be distributed in hundreds of thousands of units in Israel and around the world—mainly to educational institutions for students and various public institutions. Collectors also tend to collect and keep it.
