Evyatar Bar-Gil, 17, an eleventh-grade student at ORT Pelech Boys School in Jerusalem, and David Shasha, 17, a twelfth-grade student at Amit Kfar Ganim Yeshiva in Petah Tikva, jointly won the 61st annual International Bible Contest for Jewish Youth held at the Jerusalem Theater on Tuesday. Both contestants reached the final round with identical scores.
David Shasha, a resident of Petah Tikva, prepared for the contest for three years with his mentor, Rabbi Amitai Sar-Avi. "It is an honor to be a Bible Contest winner," said Shasha. "Persistence and desire are the paths to success. I am grateful to God, my parents, my family, Rabbi Amitai Sar-Avi and the yeshiva for their support throughout this journey."
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61st annual International Bible Contest for Jewish Youth winners Evyatar Bar-Gil and David Shasha
(Photo: Mizmor)
Rabbi Nitzan Berger, the head of the yeshiva where Shasha studies, said, "We are fortunate to receive abundant satisfaction from David's impressive mastery of the Scriptures. We all learn a great lesson from David in setting goals and achieving them, all with humility and excellent moral qualities. David is a role model for his burning passion for the Bible, his precision and his thorough attention to detail. All these qualities have led him to become the International Bible Contest winner."
Evyatar Bar-Gil studies at a high school formerly led by the late Sergeant Major (res.) Yossi Hershkovitz who fell in the Gaza war last November.
Jerusalem Mayor Moshe Lion remarked, "I am sure that Yossi, from above, is looking down on Evyatar with excitement and pride, knowing that even now, his gracious spirit, legacy and abilities continue to manifest in the best possible way, just as he wished during his lifetime."
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, a regular participant in the Bible Contest, opted out of Independence Day events due to the ongoing war. In a pre-recorded speech broadcast at the beginning of the quiz, Netanyahu addressed the participants.
"On a day of biblical magnitude, our enemies attacked us precisely when Israel celebrates the continuity of learning from Genesis. This is nothing new. The Bible teaches that thousands of years ago, our forefathers, including Abraham, Moses, Joshua, the Judges and Kings David and Solomon, all fought against formidable enemies. Even then, we did not yield; even then, we did not bow our heads,” he said.
“The prophet Micah says: 'Though I fall, I will rise.' We paid a price, but we repelled the attack fiercely. We overcame those who wished us harm. With God's help, we ensured Israel's eternity." Netanyahu also delivered the traditional quiz question via recorded video.
Knesset Speaker Amir Ohana remarked, "We are commemorating Israel's 76th Independence Day, a day unlike any previous ones. This year, Israel and its people endured the longest day, a day when what we vowed 'never again' occurred. The war is still raging, and we are still speaking of the 132 of our brothers taken by the murderous organization, with worry and longing that give us no rest. From here, we send a prayer for their swift return."
Dov Gotthelf of the United States secured second place, while Noa Rivka Kahn, an eleventh-grade student at the Israeli Center for Educational Excellence in Jerusalem, finished third.
Other competitors included Yahav Noach Atlas (Israel), Noa Saubel (UK), Penina Crystal (U.S.), Yosef Samson (Canada), Noach Greenblatt (South Africa), Aviv Sharon (Canada), Mickey Sirolnik (U.S.), Sara Harari (Panama), Ezra Goldberg (Canada), Emmanuela Milman (U.S.), David Abadi (Mexico) and Yoni Cady (Australia).
The judging panel included Iris Haim, mother of Yotam Haim who was accidentally killed by IDF fire after being kidnapped to Gaza on October 7. Among the quizmasters were Rachel Edri, known colloquially as “Rachel from Ofakim” after standing up to Hamas terrorists who invaded her home on October 7, and public diplomacy activist Yoseph Haddad.
Additional judges included question writer Yoav Shlosberg, last year's Bible Contest winner Emunah Cohen, Rabbi Yemima Mizrachi and children's author Hadassah Ben Ari, who has written about wartime events. Additional questioners included Yair Rosenberg, a senior reserve officer who teaches at a pre-military academy in Rehovot, and a representative of the Druze community
Education Minister Yoav Kisch told participants, "Each one of you had the freedom to spend your time as you wished: sitting in front of screens, hanging out at the beach with friends or taking up various and unusual hobbies. You chose the brave and difficult path of dedicating your time to studying and memorizing the foundational text of the Jewish people, thereby providing inspiration to every Jewish child around the world.
"I am proud of you, and I call on every young person in the world to revisit and delve deeper into our foundational book, to reconnect with the narrative that shaped our identity, to envision themselves crossing the Red Sea with the Children of Israel, walking alongside Abraham on his journey to the Promised Land, and standing in the Temple singing King David’s songs. I wish you great success; go forth and prosper."