Meaningful Life Center:
As Judaism in Russia flourishes after a history of repression, we join Russian Jews in their tremendous spiritual revival by opening the MyLife: Chassidus Applied Essay Contest to Russian language entries. With the encouragement of Rabbi Berel Lazar, and under the leadership of Rabbi Oshi Goodman, Contest Director in Russia, we are proud to make this announcement.
Historically, Russia was a dangerous — often deadly — place to share the wisdom of Torah and Chassidus. Now there are numerous Chabad houses spreading the Rebbe’s Chassidus throughout the country. For Russian-language writers, the MyLife: Chassidus Applied Essay Contest offers an opportunity to spread the wellsprings in a personal way.
The MyLife: Chassidus Applied Essay Contest awards monetary prizes to the winning essays that apply an idea in Chassidus to a contemporary life issue or challenge. $10,000 is awarded to the first prize winner. $5,000 is the second place prize. $1,000 is the third place prize, and there is a special $500 student prize.
Additionally, the MyLife Israel Division, under the leadership of Rabbi Dov Halperin, is turning up the volume by partnering with schools’ leadership all around Israel.
Rabbi Halperin brought the contest directly to the Israeli Shluchim by speaking at the Annual Shluchim Kinus in Israel and presenting them with a compelling case for their participation as leaders in the “connection between Chassidus and real-world issues.”
In addition to all of this, Rabbi Halperin has spearheaded the printing and distributing of thousands of booklets with sample essays unique to each demographic in order spread the word about the essay contest and show how relevant and doable it is to write and enter an essay.
Another exciting component of this year’s contest is the enthusiasm it is generating in schools all over the world. This year, MyLife is partnering with schools to encourage students to apply.
In addition to the $500 MyLife: Chassidus Applied Essay Contest student prize, many of the partnering schools are running a sub-contest, providing prizes for winners in their own institutions. Other schools are incorporating the contest into the curriculum as a mandatory assignment. The Meaningful Life Center will be publicizing the winners of each participating school.
The outcome of this expansion into schools will push students to think about Chassidus on a daily basis. Whether it is difficulty with a homework assignment, an argument with a friend, or one of the more serious tribulations of life — students will discover the tools to apply chassidus to their lives.
Participating Mosdos:
Bais Chaya Coral Springs
Beis Chana – Orange, CT
Beis Chomesh Toronto
Beis Menachem – Wilkes Barre, PA
Beis Rivka High School CH
Beis Rivkah High – Melbourne
Beis Rivka High – Montreal
Beth Rivka Montreal Seminary
Bnos Chomesh CH
Bnos Menachem CH
Boys High School – Johannesburg
Buenos Aires Yeshiva
Chovevei Torah CH
Coral Springs Mesivta
Hadar Hatorah CH
Hebrew Academy Orange County
Klurman High Coral Springs, FL.
Machon Alte Seminary
Mayanot Men
Mayanot Women
Melbourne YC
Melbourne Zal
Mesivta Ohr Temimim – Toronto
Miami Yeshiva
Monsey Mesivta Lev Temimim
MSY Seminary
Ohel Chana High School LA
Ohel Chana – Melbourne
Or Elchanan Chabad
Tiferes Bachurim – Morristown
Tomchei Temimim – Morristown
Torah Ohr – Miami
Tzohar Seminary
All submissions are due by 11:59 PM Eastern Time on February 12, 2019.
To view the contest rules and guidelines or submit an essay, visit meaningfullife.com/contest.
For Hebrew, visit www.meaningfullife.com/HebrewContest
For Russian, visit www.meaningfullife.com/RussianContest
They need to add more catagories and more prizes as the levels are all over the place now
Bnos chaya in Albany, NY
Incredible Chossid! Seriously bringing Moshiach, just the Rebbe soilder!! He inspires me!
Lubavitch Girls High School (LGHS) of Chicago is participating in the contest as well.
The seminary in Montreal is called Bais Chaya Mushka, not Bais Rivka
Boys High School Johannesburg has a name: Torah Academy, should be further down on the list.