**Postcards of Peace**

Postcards from the Past, Vision for the Future: "Postcards of Peace" Project Inspired by the Central Zionist Archive**

Yafit Korolp

Yafit Korolp, a 4th year student in the Visual Communication Department at the Faculty of Design at HIT - Holon Institute of Technology, created a series of postcards inspired by a historical postcard she found in The Central Zionist Archives in Jerusalem.

Students from the Visual Communication Department at HIT - took part in a unique project called "Postcards of Peace," created in collaboration with the Central Zionist Archive. As part of the "Culture of Memory" course, led by Professor Dana Arieli, students were asked to choose an archival item of historical value and create a design tribute around it that connects the past to the present.

Yafit’s  designed postcard       

The piece that gave special inspiration to Korolp's project was an illustrated postcard printed in 1907 by the "Jüdischer Verlag" publishing house in Berlin, with the inscription "Gaza in southern Palestine." This postcard is part of a series of postcards distributed in the early 20th century as part of the Zionist movement's efforts to strengthen the connection between Diaspora Jews and the Land of Israel. The postcard depicts the landscapes of ancient Gaza with an emphasis on local scenery such as palm trees and mosques, symbolizing the city from a Zionist perspective of the time.

"I initially chose the postcard because the inscription immediately caught my eye - Palestine, Gaza, and 'Happy New Year' in Hebrew. I came to the sad conclusion that this is probably something that can't be printed at all today," says Korolp. "I thought it appropriate to create something that in my eyes is also far from reality but I'm full of hope that it will come true - peace."

The original postcard from 1907

Inspired by items like the Gaza postcard, Yafit created a series of digital postcards called "Postcards of Peace," incorporating visual messages calling for coexistence and peace in the Middle East. The postcards combine traditional elements with contemporary design and were adapted for distribution on 21st-century social media.

Among the prominent structures, one can find postcards depicting the Temple Mount, the Maghen Abraham Synagogue in Beirut, and the Jordan River. Each postcard was carefully chosen to present the complex history of the place with an aspiration to create dialogue and hope for peace.

The project showcases the students' ability to connect design with historical memory, and to use modern tools to spread messages of hope and multiculturalism.