Nearly 90 Jewish teenagers from Jewish and non-Jewish schools came together on Yom Ha’atzmaut, to compete for the Etgar Israel trophy – part of the Etgar Israel programme proudly sponsored by JNF UK.
During an afternoon of music, celebration and barbecue, the students were tested on their knowledge of Israeli politics, geography history and even cooking. Among the creative challenges, students were given a fork and bowl, and a few basic ingredients and asked to create the best hummus.
Whilst joyfully marking Israel’s 77th birthday, students displayed a broad and deep knowledge of Israel, all performing extremely well on a difficult test. The team at Etgar believe that this knowledge is crucial to creating a deep sense of appreciation of the Jewish state and provides a bulwark against the anti-Israel sentiment that students may face at university and beyond.
The afternoon of celebration was introduced by Aaron, a veteran from Beit Halochem UK who movingly spoke of his experience after he rushed back to Israel from a business trip in Las Vegas after October 7th. Rabbi Joseph Dweck brought the room to total silence as he rounded off the afternoon with a blessing to the students and the awarding of the prizes.
For the 6th year, top marks in the main Israel knowledge competition went to the team from City of London School, who took home the trophy. They were closely followed by a team from JFS, with a team from Immanuel in third position.
In the creative rounds, students proved their culinary skills in the hummus making competition, and a team from Immanuel designed the best itinerary for the family of the incoming US Ambassador to Israel. Their itinerary featured visits to some of JNF UK’s transformative projects, highlighting the charity’s powerful role in shaping Israel’s future.
Etgar Israel, a programme for 14 year olds, was launched in 2018 by the team behind the Etgar Challenge. Each year, Jewish students who sign up to take part in the Etgar Israel Challenge receive a copy of the Etgar Israel Handbook, a specially compiled book that covers the history, geography, politics and culture of Israel. Students spend the months and weeks in the run up to Yom Ha’atzmaut learning the material. The programme has seen a steady increase in engagement since its launch in 2018. “Each year, we are amazed at the commitment and work displayed by the students’ performances at Etgar Israel. We are humbled by their dedication, and delighted to support them in their appreciation of the extraordinary story of Israel”.
JNF UK’s CEO Elan Gorji added, “JNF UK is proud to partner with Etgar on this enriching educational initiative. Through programmes like Etgar Israel, we’re helping young people build a deeper understanding of Israel and empowering them to carry that connection with pride and purpose into the future. Watching students engage so enthusiastically with Israel’s story—through tough questions, creative thinking, and even hummus-making—was truly inspiring.”
