Wheat Between the Lines
NILI · A pin for Piece of History
The familiar symbols of the NILI resistance tell the story of its downfall, but those who choose to wear its pin seek to carry its triumphs.
Within the letterforms, I wove in the 'Mother of Wheat', Aaron Aaronsohn’s wild emmer discovery, as a tribute to both the spy network’s underground operations and the groundbreaking science that defined it.
200+
Submissions
4
Finalists
~70%
of the public vote
Piece of History ran an anonymous competition to design a pin for the NILI resistance. Out of over 200 entries, four finalists made the cut, and my pin took first place by a landslide. Today it is sold on the website and as part of their Hebrew Underground pin collection.
Rooted
The competition was anonymous, but for me, this was never just another project. I grew up in Zikhron Ya'akov, attended the local NILI school, and share deep roots with the Aaronsohn family: my grandfather, Aharon, was named after Aaron Aaronsohn, discoverer of the Mother of Wheat. His mother, Chaya Rivka, was Sarah Aaronsohn’s cousin and cared for her during her final days. My father, Avshalom, was named after Avshalom Feinberg, one of the leaders of the underground network.
The pin was officially launched in Beit Aaronsohn (NILI Museum). For me, it is a way to keep NILI's story alive, connecting whoever wears it to the spirit of the early Yishuv and to the people who sacrificed everything for it.