The first Blue Box was found among the ruins of the Warsaw Ghetto after the Second World War, entirely burned, alongside a pistol that was found with it. The Blue Box symbolizes the activities of KKL-JNF during the Holocaust, when donations were collected towards the building of the nation even under particularly difficult circumstances.
The second Blue Box was from Kibbutz Nir Oz and created in the 1980s. It was recently found in the ruins of a house that was burned during the massacre in the Gaza Envelope on October 7. This Blue Box was also damaged in a fire and constitutes a living testimonial of the tragic events that befell the residents of the region.
"Both Blue Boxes, each in their own way, represent our story" says Efrat Sinai, Director of Archives at KKL-JNF. "These Blue Boxes aren't merely historical artifacts, but symbols of the resilience of the Jewish people and of hope".
Both Blue Boxes are displayed in a new exhibit in the National Institutions Building in Jerusalem, which combines historical items and current stories and is currently open to the public free of charge.
Photograph: Avi Hayoun, KKL-JNF Archive