The Partnership for Jewish Learning and Life proudly announces the first cohort of “18 Under 18 Who Bring Jewish Learning to Life.”
The contest was open to all middle and high school students in Greater MetroWest New Jersey and challenged them to write an essay demonstrating meaningful connections between their activities, passions or hobbies and Jewish textual sources.
Fifty applications were submitted from students in grades six through 11. The entries were judged by Jeffrey Korbman, national campaign director of NCSY; Abby Meth Kanter, the executive editor of the New Jersey Jewish News and Vicki Weber, partner and chief marketing officer at Behrman House.
“This contest provoked young people to consider the things that are important to them defined by number of hours that they invest in these activities, and to reflect on what Jewish wisdom has to say about it,” explained Robert Lichtman, Executive Director of The Partnership for Jewish Learning and Life. “Our goal, regardless of who actually ‘won’ the contest was to have young people engage in Jewish sources and explore their relevance to things that matter to them.”
Entrants were provided with educational coaches who helped them develop the Jewish themes and search for relevant Jewish texts to support the ideas expressed in their essays.
The 18 Under 18 Who Bring Jewish Learning to Life are:
Cecelia Ashenberg, eighth grader at Joseph Kushner Hebrew Academy in Livingston
Julia Balick, junior at Kinnelon High School in Kinnelon
Rina Blumberg, junior at Bruriah High School for Girls in Elizabeth
Jacob Colchamiro, seventh grader at Joseph Kushner Hebrew Academy in Livingston
Sam Epstein, freshman at Randolph High School in Randolph
Stacy Fiszer, sophomore at Morris County School of Technology in Denville
Macy Gimbel, sophomore at Morris County School of Technology in Denville
Rose Ginsberg, junior at Rae Kushner Yeshiva High School in Livingston
Rivki Hook, sophomore at Bruriah High School for Girls in Elizabeth
Emma Joy, sophomore at Columbia High School in Maplewood
Quinn Joy, seventh grade at South Orange Middle School in South Orange
Daniel Rubin, junior at Whippany Park High School in Whippany
Sam Russo, sophomore at Golda Och Academy in West Orange
Alexis Santoro, freshman at Cranford High School in Cranford
Jason Singer, seventh grader at Joseph Kushner Hebrew Academy in Livingston
Sophia Sinins, sophomore at Kent Place School in Summit
Devora Slonim, eighth grader at Joseph Kushner Hebrew Academy in Livingston
Shoshana Zeiger, sixth grader at Randolph Middle School in Randolph
Each of the winners and their families are invited to a gala banquet on June 5 at which time they will be recognized by the community and will receive a certificate and an Israel Bond, valued at $250. They will also be featured in a special supplement of the New Jersey Jewish News.
Their essays may be read by going to www.ThePartnershipNJ.org/18winners.
18 Under 18 Who Bring Jewish Learning to Life was funded by a grant of the Herb and Milly Iris Youth and Family Philanthropy Endowment of the Jewish Community Foundation of Greater MetroWest New Jersey. The endowment turned to The Partnership for Jewish Learning and Life to create a unique opportunity to honor Herb and Milly’s legacy.
The Partnership for Jewish Learning and Life is the Jewish identity building organization of the Jewish Federation of Greater MetroWest New Jersey and a beneficiary of its UJA campaign.
