This year, for the first time, the symbol for the 76th Independence Day of the State of Israel was designed by students. The selected symbol was created as part of a competition initiated by the Education and Community Division of KKL - JNF and the Art Supervisor at the Ministry of Education. The competition was launched at the beginning of the 2022-2023 school year, inviting middle and high school students to design the symbol for the 76th Independence Day.
"On October 7th, 2023, we woke up to the terrible disaster. But despite, and perhaps because of, the disaster, it was decided to continue the creative process – precisely emerging from the crisis and with the aim of strengthening students through engagement with design and topics related to heritage and Zionism," stated the JNF.
Amit Mitzpe, an art teacher at Ort Rabin Middle School, whose students won first place in the competition, shared, "I received the task with a short notice. It was already after October 7th when we, teachers and students, tried to grasp every bit of optimism. As a digital art teacher, my students had already dealt with aspects of wars in my lessons, so engaging in the design of the Independence Day symbol was, for me, both continuity and something more optimistic. Fortunately, the students connected very well to the task took it seriously, and dedicated thought to every element in the design. We were very excited to hear we won first place, and we are proud of our students. It's a great honor and pride for our school."
From among 41 designs from students across the country, four winners were selected:
First place: The symbol designed by Omer Hellenbrand and Daniel Goldenberg, 8th-grade students from Ort Rabin Middle School in Kiryat Motzkin. They won a two-day class trip as a KKL - JNF gift.
Second place: The original and unique design by Avia Kovalenko from the Yoana Jabotinsky Atid School in Be'er Yaakov. Avia won a class day trip as a KKL - JNF gift.
Third place: Two students – Taissia Reznik from the Yoana Jabotinsky Atid School in Be'er Yaakov and Noa Naman from Ohal Shem High School in Ramat Gan. They both won an educational activity for the entire grade as a KKL - JNA 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. Agriculture and houses in the symbol can hint at the connection to the Gaza Envelope communities, and the sun's rays create a sense of rise and growth."
The symbol is intended to be attached to a white T-shirt and will be distributed in hundreds of thousands of units in Israel and around the world, mainly to educational institutions for students, as well as various public institutions. Collectors also tend to collect and preserve it.
Ifat Ovadia-Luski, KKL – JNF Chairwoman, explained: "Especially in these challenging times, there is an importance for the citizens of Israel to unite around symbols of the state. KKL-JNF is a symbol of renewal and working the land, and even in this period, we are assisting the rehabilitation of the surrounding communities that have been affected."