New York–Yeshiva University proudly announced that Professor Yair Shahak was crowned the winner of the 2014 US National Bible Contest for Adults on Sunday, November 30 in Manhattan. Shahak, a graduate of Yeshiva College and the Bernard Revel Graduate School of Jewish Studies and a current student at the Belz School of Jewish Music, persevered against 12 talented challengers to claim first place and will represent the United States at the International Chidon HaTanach (Bible Contest) for Adults in Jerusalem on December 23, 2014.

Said Shahak, a native of Brooklyn, NY. “I fell in love with the stories and language of the Bible at a young age, and there is still nothing that gives me more joy than sharing my love of the Bible with my students at YU.”

Several other members of the “YU family” competed in the US Chidon, including Stern College for Women and Azrieli Graduate School of Jewish Education and Administration alumnus Adina Brizel, and Stern College graduate and YU High School for Girls faculty member Leah Segal. Teanecker Zev Berman, the US Coordinator of the International Chidon HaTanach for Adults, is also a YU graduate and a longtime member of the College’s board.

Later this month, Shahak, together with the winners and runners up from the other participating countries, will enjoy a series of special tours of biblical locations around Israel and will hear from a collection of impressive speakers, including scholars, politicians, and heads of state. Shahak is following in the footsteps of fellow Yeshiva College Professor Ezra Frazer, a doctoral candidate in Bible at Bernard Revel Graduate School of Jewish Studies who represented the US in the same competition in 2012. The finals will be hosted in Binyanei haUmah in Jerusalem on the final day of Chanukah, and will be attended by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Minister of Education Shai Peron.