(Courtesy of Jerusalem Science Contest) After months of advanced study in the field of nanotechnology, 11th and 12th grade Jewish high school students traveled to Walder Science in Chicago to present their research at the Jerusalem Science Contest ceremony in March. These presentations on nanotechnology through a Torah lens were the culmination of stimulating lectures, engaging research and comprehensive exams.

Congratulations to all the finalists, who have demonstrated outstanding academic achievement and innovative thinking:

Young Women’s Division:

1st place: Chanah Rachel Follick, Shaarei Torah of Richmond (Real World Quantum Computing)

2nd place: Kayla Etra, Yeshiva University High School for Girls (Harnessing Waste for Electricity)

3rd place: Aliza Zahler, Shulamith High School (Advanced Detection of Alzheimer’s)

4th place: Chanala Elishis, Manhattan High School for Girls (The Promise of Regenerative Nanotech)

5th place (tied): Avigail Kundin, Manhattan High School for Girls (Mars Inhabitability) and Galiette Mita, Yeshivah of Flatbush (Nanoparticles and Enzyme Inhibition)

Young Men’s Division:

1st place: Isaac Butler, DRS Yeshiva High School (Perfect Pickles can Change the World)

2nd place: Boaz Harel, Yeshivah of Flatbush (Early Cancer Detection)

3rd place: Daniel Dusi, Barkai Yeshivah (Nanoparticle Toothpaste)

4th place: Levi Polsky, Ida Crown Jewish Academy (Filtering Water with Carbon Nanotubes)

5th place (tied): Liav Cohen, Atlanta Jewish Academy (Making Insulin Smarter: Intelligent Nano-vesicles for Managing Type 1 Diabetes) and Asher Polsky, Fasman Yeshiva High School (Combating Hospital Infections)

Now in its 23rd year, Walder Science’s Jerusalem Science Contest (JSC) is a prestigious international competition that offers Jewish high school juniors and seniors a unique opportunity to engage with cutting-edge science while exploring its relevance through the lens of Torah. With its rigorous academic structure, the contest challenges students to dive deep into a new discipline each year. “The dedication and intellectual curiosity these students demonstrate each year is remarkable,” shared Daniel Alkhovsky, director of Walder Science.

Thanks to a longstanding collaboration with the Jerusalem College of Technology, the Lev Academic Center, first place winners receive a $1,000 cash prize and a four-year JCT Lev Academic Center tuition scholarship. Second place winners receive a $700 cash prize, and all 12 finalists win a once in a lifetime trip to Israel (there are separate trips for the young men and the young women). A highlight of the program, the Israel trip combines cultural and historical exploration with an inside look at the country’s dynamic high-tech industry.

As past finalist Daniel Weisskop shared, “When I found out that I won, it felt like all that hard work had paid off, and I just won a trip to Israel, which was crazy. I loved every second of it. We got to see the high-tech side of Israel, which was also amazing.”

For Jewish high school students passionate about both science and Torah, the JSC gives a rare opportunity to grow intellectually, spiritually and personally. Dr. Jody Zalkin-Weisskop, a parent of a former finalist, emphasized its uniqueness: “There’s nothing like this program; you won’t find it anywhere else.”

JSC is the premier program of Walder Science, an organization that has been enriching the lives of students in the Chicago area and beyond for over two decades. Founded by Dr. Joseph, z”l and Elizabeth Walder in 2000, Walder Science aims to provide high-quality science education through the prism of Jewish values.

JSC is excited to announce that next year’s topic will be astronomy, where participants will uncover the wonders of the universe and their connection to Torah. Registration is now open for current 10th and 11th graders! Learn more at walderlab.org/jerusalem.