International Bible Contest
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The International Bible Contest (known in Hebrew as Chidon HaTanach) is a worldwide competition on the Jewish Bible for high school students. It is sponsored by the Israeli government.
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[edit] Canadian System
Participants are given a list of chapters to study in May or June, and in the following February or April a preliminary regional test is taken. This consists of 100 multiple-choice questions for high school students (75 for grades 7 & 8, 50 for grades 5 & 6). A number of participants to continue are selected - e.g., 50. In this case, the top 50 scores will continue to the national competition. The national competition is held in May or June. It consists of 100 multiple-choice questions, as well as other questions. The top 10 people are selected. Of these, first and second place will go to Israel the next year to represent Canada. If anyone from Montreal gets into the top 10, they go also (the top Montrealer if there is more than one). The same goes for Western Canada. If there are Israelis in Canada who are participating, they are not allowed to win, but the top Israeli in the top 10 goes to Israel as the Chatan Yisrael of Canada. Thus, a total of 5 people at the most could theoretically go to Israel the next year. In reality, it is usually only 2 or 3.
[edit] United States System
Participants are also given a set of chapters to study. There is one book of Torah, one in Early Prophets, and one in Writings. The high school division also has one book of Later Prophets. Selected chapters are chosen from each, for a total of 70-100 chapters. During December, February, and March, there are 3 regional tests. Those who score a certain cumulative percentage (e.g. 85%) on the regionals go on to the nationals. There are 4 divisions in the nationals, the Hebrew High School, Hebrew Middle School, English High School, and English Middle School. The Chidon has a complicated system for whom they send to Israel, generally based on percentage of contestants in each division, any ties in divisions, and, all else being equal, the high school has preference. Up to four people are sent each year, with the government paying for the contestant's plane ticket. In 2006 & 2007, this competition was held at Ramaz School in New York City, New York; it will also be held there on May 18, 2008. The questions in the national test are much harder than the regional questions. There is also a section of "cross-referencing", where you must match similar phrases to different contexts. The winners usually get a very high (90-95%) correct in the Hebrew, which is much larger of a competition.
[edit] International Chidon
The International Chidon is on around 400 chapters, and is harder still. Israelis win almost all the time, but there is a separate contest, the Diaspora Contest, for the best non-Israelis. For the week before and after, the contestants have a scheduled program known as the Bible Camp. During the Bible Camp, contestants travel throughout Israel, meet dignitaries, tour various sites, participate in the Gadna youth military program, and, of course, study Tanach. An initial fifty-question written test takes place within the first few days of the program. Of the contestants that took the written test, the top sixteen overall go on to compete in the international championship, and the top scorers from the top sixteen countries (other than Israel) go to the Diaspora Contest. Thus, if Americans A and B are the top two scorers and Mexican C was in third place, A and C would go to the Diaspora contest but all three would go to the international championship. The international championship is always held in a venue in Jerusalem, and the Diaspora Contest is held in different Israeli cities every year. The main contest is broadcast live on Yom Ha'atzmaut. Though all proceedings of the contest are in general conducted in Hebrew, translations of the questions and answers are available, so language is essentially no barrier to participation.
The Chidon Hatanach was founded by David Ben Gurion to honor the study of Torah. Originally, a Chidon Hatanach for adults was the main contest, and the contest for high school students was a relatively minor part. However, the Chidon is currently only for teenagers, though there are rumors that the Chidon for adults will be reinstated.
The winner of the International Bible Contest wins a four-year college scholarship to Bar Ilan University. As of 2006, Israel Channel Two is making a documentary of the competition.
[edit] 2008 Contest
In the 2008 International Chidon, 63 finalists from 37 countries participated. The top six contestents placed as follows:[1]
1st place: Tzurit Bernson (age 15, Merkaz Tikvateinu, Nahariya, Israel)
2nd place: Elad Finish (age 18, Yeshivat Amit, Be'er Sheva, Israel)
3rd place: Dovi Nadel (age 15, Yeshivat Akiva, Southfield, Michigan, USA)
4th place: Rivka Witty (age 15, Ulpanat Orot, Toronto, Ontario, Canada)
5th place: Rachel Asas (age 15, Yeshivat Emunah, Mexico City, Mexico)
6th place: Leora Bach (age 16, Haifa, Israel)
[edit] 2007 Contest
In the 2007 contest the contestents placed as follows:[2]
1st place: Yishai Gisspan (age 17, Jerusalem, Israel)
2nd Place: Tamar Kronman (age 17, Be'er Sheva, Israel)
3rd Place: Tzuriel Sasson (age 17, Be'er Sheva, Israel)
4th Place (and Diaspora Champion): Yakir Forman (age 13, Teaneck, New Jersey USA)
5th Place: Yosef Kornbluth (age 16, Teaneck, New Jersey USA)
6th Place: Joshua Satok (age 16, Toronto, Ontario Canada)
