International Creative Contest of the Friends and Sponsors of the Martin Buber House

From: ICCJ

Dr. Eva Schulz-Jander | 29.01.2021

The past year, 2020, was different from all the years before. Covid-19 cut down our social contacts, reduced our travel, influenced our decisions, and, at the same time, made us creative.

The ICCJ Conference being cancelled, the Board of the Friends and Sponsors of the Martin Buber House got together and pondered over alternative ways to support the young. And we decided on an international Creative Contest on the topic "Christian-Jewish Dialogue – Why? What For?" Invited were all those between twenty and thirty to submit essays, poems, podcasts, films, comics or cartoons, in short, the medium – freely chosen, the language – English.

A jury of seven members, from the US and Europe, were to decide on the winners. By the deadline, the middle of September, we received nine entries from seven different countries, Canada/France, Germany, Hungary, Israel, Italy/Ukraine and the US. There were three essays, one poem, a video film and four stories. After two zoom conferences and many heated discussions, the jurors reached the following decision:

• The first prize is to be divided between Orion Assayag, Israel and Linda Mahler, Germany, for their respective stories.
• The second price also goes to two participants for their stories: Lidiia Batig, Ukraine/ Italy and Samantha Lin, USA/Italy.
• There was no third prize, but instead an honorable mention for the poem by Jordan Lahmy, France/Canada.
• Finally a special supportive prize was awarded to the Hungarian project and its film. It went to Borbala Lakos, Hungary.

With the permission of the prize winners you can read their contributions here (clicking above on the respective name will bring up the contribution as well as a short biography, possibly a photo of the winner as well as some comments on his/her work).

Please have a look and meet six very interesting, diverse and creative young people who work or are interested in Christian-Jewish Dialogue.

Eva Schulz-Jander (President), January 2021