[VIDEO IN EXTENDED ARTICLE]
The annual International Bible Contest was held on Thursday, 4 Iyar, observed as Independence Day in Israel. Taking part in the event were 67 contestants from 33 different countries, all competing for the prestigious title. The theme this year was ‘kibbutz galiyos’, the ingathering of the exiles. As the competition moved forward, the 16 finalists battled it out for the title, each hearing and identifying pesukim from Tanach.
At the end, the two finalists each had to respond to 12 questions, receiving 5 seconds to think and announce their response. The winner was 15-year-old Eyal Yitzchak Matas, a resident of Rehovot and a student at Yeshivat Darchei Noam. Second place went to Yerushalayim resident 17-year-old Yisrael Elgrabli, a student at Yeshivat Horev.
Taking part in the event were Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu and his wife. Following are the prime minister’s remarks.
“The State of Israel could not exist without the blessed aliyah from the four corners of the world. This is the main foundation of Zionism which inscribed upon its banner the return to Zion and sees Israel as the home of every Jew in the world. Today it is completely clear that this is the home. This is in the place in which a Jew can walk in the street and say ‘I am a Jew’ or ‘Je suis Juif’. We do not negate the responsibility of the various governments in the world to see to the security but we say to the Jews of the world ‘This is home. This is our home. This is your home.’
“From where did Zionism take the value of the ingathering of the exiles? From the Tanach, from the prophets’ vision of the ingathering of the exiles of Israel – from east and west – to our historical homeland.
“Each wave of Aliyah greatly contributed to the development of the country. Therefore, I would like to call on you, the young people who are here, who have come from the Diaspora, I would like to tell you: Come home. Tell about the experiences of your visit in the country and about this quiz an then I ask – come back to us, to the Land of Israel! Make aliyah to the State of Israel! We are waiting for you with open arms.”
(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)
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4 Responses
Kol Hakavod to those who learn Torah Sh’bchsav
I think I could beat him
What a country that celebrates its yom hoatzmut by recognizing its fallen heroes the day before and by recognizing that we are the nation of Torah by having the Tenach contest dafke on this day. I heard that the Goan Rav Ovadia Yosef zt”l suggested that yom hoatzmut should be celebrated by learning the whole day.
If all the frum yidden would do that….what a kiddish Hashem….achdus….Moshiach!!!
Zionist propaganda, as usual.
The value of “ingathering of the exiles” was taken from the Zionists’ burning desire to change the Jewish people’s identity from a Torah-based nation intom liHavdil, a “normal” gentile nation of warrior Hebrews. To do that, and to fight their continued wars they started by invading the holy land, they obviously need as many people as possible.
Our holy neviim had nothing to do with this. Although that existing value was a convenient basis for their mass deception of Zionism cH”V replacing Judaism with their new faith.