Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu and Education Minister Rabbi Shai Piron, on Tuesday, 29 Nissan 5774, met with participants of this year’s International Tanach Tanach Quiz for youth, which is due to be held on the State of Israel’s 66th Independence Day, Tuesday, 6 Iyar 5774.

75 contestants from 33 countries – including Australia, the US, Belgium, Brazil, Turkey, Portugal, France and Costa Rica – attended the meeting. The contestants are due to take a series of additional tests at the end of which the 16 outstanding entrants will be chosen to compete in next week’s Quiz.

Prime Minister Netanyahu welcomed the contestants and said, “The Land of Israel is your land and the land of the entire Jewish People. The Tanach is everyone’s book. It is our history and it contains our values, beliefs, aspirations and prayers. The Tanach is the book of the Jewish People of which you are a part. I wish you great success. The most important thing that you must remember is that this is your land, your state, your people and your book.”

Education Minister Piron said, “The State of Israel is the home of the entire Jewish People. It is very moving to know that in the middle of the school year, 71 young people have left their homes in the Diaspora to come here to compete in a Tanach quiz in Israel because they understand that Independence Day is not only Israelis’ holiday but a holiday for every Jew in the world. Your coming to Israel is a victory for the spirit of the Jewish People, for the Tanach.”

Four Israeli pupils, who won last month’s national Tanach quiz, will also compete in the International Tanach Quiz: Champions Itamar Kalifa and Tamar Jinali and runners-up Niv Kotzer and Tefilla Berenson.

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)