Competitors, IDF chief of staff
Photo: IDF Spokesman
World Bible Contest stage
Photo: Amos Ben-Gershom, GPO
World Bible Contest winner crowned
15-year old champion is third in her family to take title. Altogether 65 youths from 37 countries participate in 45-year old competition
Zurit Branson, a 15-year old from Nahariya, was announced this year's winner of the International Bible Contest for Jewish Youth, held in Jerusalem on Thursday. Her runner up was 18-year old Elad Finish from Beersheba, and second runner up was 15-year old Mordechai Nadal from the US. It was the contest's 45th year running, and youths from 37 different countries participated.
In Branson's family winning this contest has become something of a tradition. 15 years ago her uncle won the prize, and 13 years ago another of her relatives was declared winner. Branson said she had trained for the contest for two years.
Prime Minister Ehud Olmert was present at the competition, asked the designated "prime minister's question" and handed out the awards. The first place winner will receive a scholarship to complete a bachelor's degree at the Jerusalem College of Technology.
Education Minister Yuli Tamir said during the contest, that "the bible has accompanied the Jewish people throughout history. There is no other nation that began to write its history from the moment the world was created out of chaos."
This year's contest saw 65 youths between the ages of 13 and 18 arriving to participate, from 37 countries worldwide, and16 of them made it to the last round. A 14-year old competitor from Hong Kong made her first visit to Israel in order to compete, as well as a 16-year old from Panama, whose sisters had competed in previous years.
The contestants arrived in Israel two weeks before the contest, in order to stay at a special bible camp, where they studied the 400 chapters on which they were to be quizzed.
