From the Depths: A Design Journey of Survival and Hope

On the eve of Holocaust Remembrance Day 2025, the words "From the Depths" take on a profoundly new meaning for all of us. Over my 30 years as a visual creator, I have channeled many emotions into my work, but creating From the Depths: A Design Journey of Survival and Hope was one of the most poignant experiences of my career. A few months ago, I submitted a design for the annual Yad Vashem poster competition. This year's theme was "From the Depths: The Pain of Liberation and the Return to Life, Marking 80 Years Since the Surrender of Nazi Germany."

The competition asked artists to explore the immense complexity of liberation. It was a moment where the joy of freedom mixed with the crushing realization of loss and destruction, alongside the sheer willpower to build new lives.

The Visual Concept

For my poster, I chose to create a spiral of typography. It begins in a dark, dense point at the center and gradually expands outward toward the light and open space. The word "From the Depths" repeats over and over, accompanied by verbs describing a complex journey: from pain, rage, and collapse, all the way to elevation and renewal.

The words illuminated in gold - "I dreamed", "I ascended", "I grew", "I breathed", "I created", "I built" - signify the spark that was never extinguished. They represent the human ability to rise from the deepest abyss. The visual spiral ends with the phrase "I chose life", serving as a testament to the conscious choice of continuity and revival.

Echoes of Today

Tonight, as we mark Holocaust Remembrance Day under the heavy shadow of the October 7 trauma, the words "From the Depths" and "I chose life" echo in a chilling, contemporary way. Over a year and a half ago, people were kidnapped from their homes. As I write these words, 59 of them are still held hostage in Gaza. They are in the absolute darkest depths, inside tunnels deep underground, enduring unimaginable conditions and torture, far from light and freedom.

The phrase "From the Depths" takes on a tangible, horrifying reality. The yearning to rise from those depths into the light is a collective prayer we all share today. Since October 2023, we have found ourselves in a constant struggle between darkness and light, between despair and hope. Once again, we must summon enormous mental strength to walk from the depths toward a renewed choice of life.

The Jewish story has always been one of "nevertheless". It is the stubborn insistence on life, even when it seems darkness is winning. That was true eighty years ago when Holocaust survivors built new families and recreated their worlds. It remains true today as we fight to illuminate the darkness forced upon us, to bring our hostages out of the depths of the earth back to the light of life, and to bring our fallen to a respectful burial in their homeland.

Choosing Life

My design did not win the competition, but it carries a visual message I felt compelled to share on this heavy day. From the absolute darkest places, we can and must choose life. This is the story of the Jewish people, and it is our story, today more than ever. Through "From the Depths: A Design Journey of Survival and Hope", I wanted to visually document our resilience.

We are waiting for everyone to come home.