Reporting on a need for stronger Holocaust education at Northwest Yeshiva High School has won the top prize at the 2023 Jewish Scholastic Journalism Awards, in a record-setting year for the competition.
Announced in New York City March 18, the Grand Prize in Jewish Scholastic Journalism was awarded to “Why does NYHS have no formal Holocaust education?” by Harrison Feld, of Seattle, Wa., published in The Mane Idea, the school’s student news website.
Harrison will receive a Grand Prize plaque along with a recommendation from the American Jewish Press Association for a summer internship at a professional Jewish news source.
“Lackluster Holocaust education is a nationwide trend, and it has consequences,” Feld wrote in the story. “According to the Claims Conference, 41 percent of American millennials believe that 2 million or fewer Jews were murdered in the Holocaust, and 11 percent of millennials and Gen-Z believe Jews themselves caused the Holocaust.”
The same story also won First Place for Feature Reporting on Jewish Communities. There were 10 categories in the competition, with the Grand Prize chosen from among the first-place winners.
Judges for the Grand Prize wrote that it “perfectly exemplifies a number of notes that we were looking for from all works submitted: it’s well written, a bit unexpected in it’s content, and it looks deeply at the pluses and minuses of its topic.”
The article was one of nearly 200 submissions to this year’s contest, which drew entries from Jewish day schools, secular and Christian private schools, and public schools across the United States. Work published by high school students during 2022 was eligible.
It marked the second time in a row when the Grand Prize went to a story critical of the author’s own school. Other topics covered by students who entered the contest were rising antisemitism, the experiences of Jewish students in secular high schools, Israeli elections and experiences of Jews and teenagers in Ukraine.
Judging was led by Susan Freudenheim, former managing editor of the Jewish Journal of Greater Los Angeles and JSPA’s vice president. Ms. Freudenheim worked for 13 years at the Los Angeles Times as arts editor and staff writer, and most recently served as Executive Director of Jewish World Watch.
“Each year the number of entries to this contest grows significantly, and with that growth has come a great leap in the quality of the work,” Ms. Freudenheim said.
“From the playful to the deeply serious, from Torah to hip hop as subjects, the students are reporting the news, taking photos, expressing opinions and designing news presentation with a level of professionalism beyond expectations,” she continued. “This year’s entries are no exception, and many more entries were worthy of awards than we had awards to give.״
There were four judges in all. Ms. Freudenheim was joined by Leila Miller, Mexico City correspondent for the Los Angeles Times; Jackson Krohl, Senior Visual Producer of the Players’ Tribune and photojournalist known especially for his photos in the book American Shtetl: The Making of Kiryas Joel, a Hasidic Village in Upstate New York; and Orli Lowe, former assistant book editor of the Los Angeles Times.
The awards were announced at Lincoln Square Synagogue as part of the first-ever JSPA@CSPA event held at Columbia University and elsewhere on Manhattan’s Upper West Side starting March 15. Zev Hurwitz, JSPA’s associate director, announced most of the awards, and JSPA President and Executive Director Joelle Keene announced the grand prize.
Students from a record 26 schools submitted 194 entries in all. The Boiling Point at Shalhevet High School in Los Angeles led all winners with eight awards; Atlanta Jewish Academy’s Palette won five; RampageWired at Hyman Brand Hebrew Academy in Overland Park, Kan. won three.
Other winners were The Paw Print and Frisch News Network at Yeshivat Frisch (Paramus, N.J.), The Milken Roar at Milken Community High School (Los Angeles), The Forum at the Latin School of Chicago, Tatler at St. Mary’s Episcopal School (Memphis, Tenn.), The Review at St. John’s School (Houston, Texas), and Tower Media at Madison East High School (Madison, Wis.).
Teen fellows writing for the Jewish Telegraphic Agency (JTA) notched two awards. A student at Marquette High School student in St. Louis, Mo., won an award for a piece published in the St. Louis Jewish Light. This year’s contest had 10 categories, ranging from news and feature writing to opinion, photojournalism, video and page design.
Here are all the winners, with judges’ comments:
2023 Grand Prize in Jewish Scholastic Journalism:
“Why does NYHS have no formal Holocaust education?” by Harrison Feld, The Mane Idea, Northwest Yeshiva High School
Judges’ Remarks: A comprehensive and probing look at why a Jewish high school has no Holocaust education curriculum.
Category 1: News reporting on Jewish communities, religion, education, institutions, activism, culture, challenges, leaders or personalities.
FIRST PLACE
“A Fishy Fiasco” by Asher Lytton, Palette, Atlanta Jewish Academy
Judges’ remarks:
A very smart piece that reads like a movie script. Great details, humor and depth on the fish crisis no one saw coming.
SECOND PLACE
“Most Yeezys stay home as students respond to Kanye’s, Kyrie’s antisemitism” by Noah Elad, The Boiling Point, Shalhevet High School
Judges’ remarks:
A nuanced look into an issue of importance for many Jewish teens. Great use of polling and diversity of voices.
THIRD PLACE
“‘Gender Queer’: How Milken ‘Marginalized a Marginalized Voice'”, by Maya Ziv & Spencer Davis, The Milken Roar, Milken Community High School
Judges’ remarks:
Good job providing an in-depth look at this controversy and including voices on all sides.
Category 2: Feature reporting on Jewish communities, religion, education, institutions, activism, culture, challenges, leaders or personalities.
FIRST PLACE
“Why does NYHS have no formal Holocaust education?” by Harrison Feld, The Mane Idea, Northwest Yeshiva High School
Judges’ remarks:
A comprehensive and probing look at why a Jewish high school has no Holocaust education curriculum.
SECOND PLACE
“Informed or Just Opinionated?: Milken Students Weigh In On How Informed They Are,” by Miriam Herstein, The Milken Roar, Milken Community High School
Judges’ remarks:
A thoughtful and well-researched take on how high schoolers get informed about the greater world and this shapes their opinions.
THIRD PLACE (TIED)
“Jewish Immigrants and their Children are Divided by a Common Religion,” by Anya Gruener, Jewish Telegraphic Agency (JTA)
Judges’ remarks:
When a family move means a change in culture as well as location, immigrant parents and their teenage children can have very different views on how Judaism should be practiced.
THIRD PLACE (TIED)
“Students who Switch Between Day School and Public Schools Find Their Jewish Identities Tested,” by Lily Lebwohl, Jewish Telegraphic Agency (JTA)
Judges’ remarks:
A thoughtful piece on students who transfer between Jewish and non-Jewish high schools navigating their Jewish identity and practice.
HONORABLE MENTION
“New Rabbi Elizabeth Bonney-Cohen has Decided to Join the HBHA Team!” by Gabrielle Sosland, RampageWired, Hyman Brand Hebrew Academy
Judges’ remarks:
A fresh take on the new-staff-member-at-school story.
Category 3: News and feature reporting on current events involving Israel
FIRST PLACE
“The Israeli Elections,” by Maya Tratt, The Paw Print, Yeshivat Frisch
Judges’ remarks:
An informative piece on Israeli politics written with just the right bit of humor.
SECOND PLACE
“Israeli teens foster connections between Israel and St. Louis,” by Molly Levine, St. Louis Jewish Light
Judges’ remarks:
A clearly written piece on an important partnership.
Category 4: News or feature reporting on interreligious or intercultural activism or events.
FIRST PLACE
“NYHS seniors forge bonds with Ukrainian Jewish orphans,” by Eliana Menashe, The Mane Idea, Northwest Yeshiva High School
Judges’ remarks:
A well-written narrative on students connecting in profound ways with child victims of the war in Ukraine, illustrating the devastation of war, and ways students might help survivors in both short and long-term ways.
SECOND PLACE
“Faculty Corner: Featuring Morah Livnat,” by Oliver Mason, Palette, Atlanta Jewish Academy
Judges’ remarks:
Excellent teacher profile, exploring current philosophy of teaching and Livnat’s international journey to teaching.
Category 5: Ongoing reporting on any subject in Category 1, 2, 3 or 4. Ongoing reporting means at least two stories on two different days, covering a story that is evolving with additional facts or occurrences.
FIRST PLACE
“The Case of the HVAC: An Update on AJA High School’s HVAC System” and
“AJA By the Numbers: A Statistical Summary of AJA’s Air Conditioning,” by Oliver Mason, Palette, Atlanta Jewish Academy
Judges’ remarks:
A student journalist holds the administration accountable in the factor of a malfunctioning school heating and cooling system.
SECOND PLACE
“Shul and large JCC are now shelters, says Chief Rabbi of Kyiv”, “A sadness which you cannot explain with words’”, and “War In Ukraine: Is there a Russian side of the story?”
by Benjamin Gamson and Tali Liebenthal, The Boiling Point, Shalhevet High School,
Judges’ remarks:
A poignant and harrowing look at the war in Ukraine told through the stories of teens and community leaders living through it.
THIRD PLACE
“Sweet, crunchy and kosher, Melrose Bite finds a trendy combo” and ”Chicken shortage bites kosher restaurant on Melrose,”
by Olivia Fishman, The Boiling Point, Shalhevet High School,
Judges’ remarks:
A new kosher eatery gets a rave review; a follow-up recounts how the restaurant has decided to turn non-kosher due to the high cost of running a kosher establishment.
Category 6: Non-first-person opinion on any Jewish or Israel-related story. This category would encompass unsigned editorials
FIRST PLACE
“EDITORIAL: Disaster drills save lives. We need them here.” Avi Litvak, The Boiling Point, Shalhevet High School
Judges’ remarks:
A clear and important editorial from student journalists arguing for school safety and calling out the administration for oversight.
SECOND PLACE
“Does Educational Censorship Belong in Jewish Schools?,” Annie Fingersh, RampageWired, Hyman Brand Hebrew Academy
Judges’ remarks:
A well-thought-out exploration of a current trend in some schools to censor books in classrooms and libraries, and how that might impact decisions in Jewish schools.
THIRD PLACE
“What Does Judaism Say About Abortions?,” by Tali Gortenburg, RampageWired, Hyman Brand Hebrew Academy
Judges’ remarks:
In light of changing laws around abortion, plus a recent election in the students’ home state of Kansas, this exploration of the Jewish view is both timely and very well developed.
Category 7: First-person opinion or first-person experience regarding Judaism, Jewish culture or identity, or Israel, or any Jewish or Israel-related story
FIRST PLACE
“This Article is Not About Baseball: My Experience With Stress and Anxiety,” by Doran Levin, Palette, Atlanta Jewish Academy
Judges’ remarks:
A very brave and well-written piece about mental health, written in the wake of the student-journalist not fulfilling an assignment. This piece describes a real-life experience and is highly creative in its approach to educating others about the need to recognize a line between procrastination and a more serious health issue.
SECOND PLACE
“It’s So Simple To Not Be Antisemitic” Eliza Lampert, The Forum, Latin School of Chicago
Judges’ remarks:
Straightforward and clearly written, this piece gets its message across in a world where a slippery slope from mindless chatter to overt antisemitism is both becoming more common and very dangerous.
THIRD PLACE
“It’s not just Kanye,” Lea Thomas, Tatler, St. Mary’s Episcopal School
Judges’ remarks:
This piece moves thoughtfully and articulately beyond the shock and horror of Kanye West’s antisemitism to explore how pervasive such hate has become, a wake-up call for awareness.
Category 8: Photojournalism: Photograph attached to any Jewish or Israel-related story
FIRST PLACE
“NEW: Israeli street artist Solomon Souza spent two weeks before school started painting murals of famous Jewish and Israeli figures on Shalhevet’s walls”, Evan Beller, The Boiling Point, Shalhevet High School,
Judges’ remarks:
A well-composed and engaging portrait that strongly utilizes natural light to capture the subject in a noteworthy environmental portrait.
SECOND PLACE
“Firehawks come close in historic CIF run but fall short of State Championship win”, Sam Elyaszadeh, The Boiling Point, Shalhevet High School,
Judges’ remarks:
Engaging photos display a variety of perspectives of the game: from the court all the way back to the classroom.
Category 9: Layout, design, illustration or infographic attached to any Jewish or Israel-related story, one page or multiple pages
FIRST PLACE (TIED)
“A Sadness Which You Cannot Explain With Words,” by Ezra Helfand and Tehilla Fishman, The Boiling Point, Shalhevet High School
Judges’ remarks:
A compelling story with a very thoughtful layout both with photos and text. Use of the photos as Polaroids with captions below successfully captures the story in an intimate way.
FIRST PLACE (TIED)
“Students Respond to New Policies on Appearance,” by Tehilla Fishman, The Boiling Point, Shalhevet High School
Judges’ remarks:
Beautiful, vibrant and thoughtful illustrations illuminate the diversity of styles mentioned in a well written article.
SECOND PLACE
“Cause Fair 2022” by Margalit Lytton, Palette, Atlanta Jewish Academy
Judges’ remarks:
An interesting and thoughtful design choice, to crop each subject and organize them facing the same direction, is a creative choice for a difficult piece to illuminate visually.
THIRD PLACE
“Addressing the Jewish Experience,” by Lily Feather, The Review, St. John’s School
Judges’ remarks:
A thoughtful layout, with the highlight being a well placed collage of ancestral photos at the bottom of the piece.
Category 10: Video or podcast reporting of any Jewish or Israel-related story
FIRST PLACE
“12:16-14:23 of the episode: Jewish Heritage Club coverage,” by Dora Tvedt, Elsa Marley, & Eva Saunders, Tower Media, Madison East High School
Judges’ remarks:
A remarkably well-produced segment with considered framing and editing that elevated the piece. The hosts balance a thoughtfulness and playfulness which is engaging and compelling.
SECOND PLACE
“‘We are the next chapter’”– Ethan Hobbs Talks Earth-Based Judaism with Rabbi Philmus” by Ethan Hobbs, RampageWired, Hyman Brand Hebrew Academy
Judges’ remarks:
A well-conducted interview with thoughtful questions and a dynamic energy between subject and interviewer.
THIRD PLACE
“Frisch News Network Episode #2 Thanksgiving Edition” by Dan Drazen, Mia Kaplan, Alex Massel, Netanel Kalman and Dovid Herrman, Frisch News Network, Yeshivat Frisch
Judges’ remarks:
A playful interview segment with a wide ranging subjects which balances serious and comedic responses.
