Otef is a social design initiative created by Neil Cohen (via CON) in collaboration with the restaurant HaAchim. The project was launched in the aftermath of the events of October 7, 2023, to support communities in the Gaza Envelope area affected by the war.
Drawing inspiration from kibbutz design heritage and early publications of Keren Kayemet LeIsrael (KKL), Otef reinterprets collective visual culture through a contemporary lens. The T-shirt collection revives nostalgic local imagery and typography once found in posters, emblems, and community print materials.
Several shirts feature reconstructed typefaces developed for the project, in collaboration with typographers Ben Nathan (HaFontia Studio), Yanek Iontef, and Daniel Grumer of Studio Fontef.
The project reached remarkable public resonance, selling over 50,000 shirts and receiving wide coverage across Israeli and international media. It was embraced by artists, designers, and cultural figures who saw it as a meaningful act of solidarity and remembrance.
All proceeds were donated to trauma resilience centers supporting residents of the region. Otef connects design, memory, and community, showing how visual culture can carry both empathy and action.
