It’s not every day that a Teaneck teen meets Prime Minister Netanyahu and Natan Sharansky. But Tehila Kornwasser is not an everyday student, and since she placed 10th in the world in the International Chidon HaTanach (Bible Quiz), held in Israel and aired on live television on Yom Ha’atzmaut, we seriously doubt this is the most impressive thing Tehila will ever do.

Tehila is a hard-working RYNJ eighth grader who has an ingrained love of Torah and Tanach. She’s been essentially studying for this her whole life, seeking out teachers, rebbeim, and morot, not just at RYNJ, who have, in turn, gone out of their ways to encourage her talent. We celebrate Tehila as we celebrate all the other students in Bergen, Essex, and Union County who are following in Tehila’s footsteps, as they prepare to compete in the Chidon HaTanach National Finals in Manhattan this coming Sunday.

Special thanks to Teaneck’s Rabbi Ezra Frazer who runs the national contest for the Jewish Agency with such incredible menshlichkeit.

Tehila took the top prize at this event last year, securing her ticket to the Yom Ha’atzmaut contest in Israel, so naturally we have high hopes for our Bergen, Essex and Union students competing this year, a whopping total of 40, from Ben Porat Yosef, Bruriah, JEC, Ma’ayanot, RKYHS, RYNJ, TABC, Yavneh Academy, YBH and Yeshivat Noam.

You are already winners to us.