By Joel Magalnick, Editor, JTNews
When the eighth grade students at Jewish Day School discussed class projects, they decided upon one that includes the entire community. Several ideas were tossed around, but they settled upon the idea of having their fellow students express their thoughts on Jewish people who have had positive effects on the world.
The idea for the topic came from eighth grader Talya Kurland, when the class examined the loss of Israeli astronaut Ilan Ramon in January. Though the idea of a writing contest came from Yom Ha’atzmaut event chair Deanne Etsekson, Judaic Studies director Rabbi Stuart Light and the students’ teacher Susan Bernstein came up with idea that the students should organize the contest and judge the entries.
HaMorah Bernstein, as she is known, has high hopes for this contest. “This 8th grade class is an outstanding group of talented, well informed kids. They are learning how to be leaders in their community-taking part in this event is another way they are helping to build a better Jewish community,” she said.
The students are excited, too. Ten eighth graders, all aged 13–14, are participating in judging the contest. They are: Gabi Medrash, Danielle Rothman, Talya Kurland, Lilya Shtikel, Emma Slayton, Nadia Silver, Rebecca Levy, Miri Golub, Darren Levin, and Jacob Tobis. Many of them had a few thoughts on why a writing contest like this is important.
Nadia Silver had a philosophical approach. She sees the contest as a way “to challenge our thoughts as well as [challenge] others to come up with their own thoughts.”
According to Miri Golub, this contest is all about the community and Judaism. “It’s kids thinking about other Jewish people and Israel and the hard work of many people who helped to create Israel,” she said.
Jacob Tobis saw it as a responsibility as the oldest students in the school. “We are the oldest at our school, so we are learning to take responsibility and to support our Jewish community,” he said.
Many saw the project as a way to learn from their peers instead of relying upon textbooks. By the same token, the students know they will be learning about influential Jews in history and the present, but outside of the structure of their classroom, which makes for an interesting experience. However, they also see this as a positive learning experience for not just themselves, but the children who write their thoughts down for this contest. It opens up a way for these kids to express themselves truthfully.
Like Danielle Rothman said, “We are learning how to take on leadership roles. By coming up with the theme and judging the contest, it becomes our own project and will open our minds up to different views.”
The Independence Day Writing Contest is open to any student in one of two categories: students in grades 2–4, and students in grades 5–8. All essays should be written about any Jew who has changed the world, whether in recent times or in history. The maximum length of the essay is 500 words, and all essays must be turned in no later than April 25. Winners will be announced at the Jewish Day School’s Yom Ha’atzmaut event, and the winners will have their essays published in the Jewish Transcript. Please send the finished product to: Jewish Day School, Yom Ha’atzmaut Essay Contest, 15749 NE 4th St., Bellevue, WA 98008.