With the terror attacks of October 7th, the subsequent wars, internal communal divisions, and a rise in antisemitism in the United States and beyond, this past year-plus has been a challenging one for Jews.

With that in mind, Hadassah Magazine and jGirls+ Magazine, an online publication by and for self-identifying Jewish girls, young women and nonbinary teens, invites you to submit to our fifth annual teen essay contest, which this year asks:  

How has your experience since October 7th changed the way you think about and express your Jewish identity? How has this past year shaped your view of the future and where you are headed?

Some things you might want ​to consider as you craft your 600-word essay:

• Has your community or sense of community changed?
• Has your relationship to Israel changed?
• Have your priorities and/or values shifted and if so, how have they guided your actions or decision-making at school, in your social life or elsewhere?
• What do you find surprising or compelling about where you are now?
• We find that the strongest essays weave real dialogue and memories from your own life with your analysis of or realizations about the larger world. For instance, instead of just telling us about how you felt this year, you might write a piece that vividly paints a scene of interactions you have had that have led to or emerged from those feelings, and how this fits into a larger communal conversation or interplay. We are particularly interested in how you think these experiences might affect your life in the future.

The contest is open to self-identifying Jewish girls, young women and nonbinary teens between the ages of 13 and 19 who reside in the United States, the District of Columbia and the State of Israel, except where prohibited by law. 

Deadline for submission is December 19, 2024.  

The winner will receive a $300 educational scholarship, and the winning essay will be published in Hadassah Magazine, both in print and online, and in jGirls+ Magazine. The prize also includes a one-year subscription to Hadassah Magazine. 

For details and guidelines click here. To download the entry form for ages under 18, click here.  To download the entry form for ages 18-19, click here.