A British teenager has fought off stiff competition to win an international quiz testing knowledge of the Hebrew Bible.
Michal Rowe, 15, from London, was crowned champion of the annual Chidon HaTanach in Jerusalem for students from the diaspora, triumphing over contestants from more than 15 countries.
The challenge required comprehensive knowledge of half the books of the Torah and the Prophets.
The student, whose family are members of Hendon Adath Shul, said afterwards: “It was amazing to meet people my age from around the world, all who have the same passion that I do - learning the Tanach [Hebrew Bible].
“It felt surreal to win after having worked so hard and to see my effort pay off. But more than that, to see the excitement and pride on my parents', family and friends' faces when I finally won, made it all worth it.”
Michal said she had prepared for the competition by studying with previous competitors and also with her father, who “tested me for hours”.
She added: “Learning Tanach has been such an awesome experience for me, and I'm so grateful to everyone who has supported and taught me over the last year.”
The visit to Israel also involved touring the country, and Michal said: “I loved touring Israel and seeing all the Tanach sites in person after having learnt about them for so long.”
Also enjoying success was Michal’s cousin, Rebecca Rowe, 17, a pupil at Hasmonean High School, who achieved ninth place in the main version of the competition. This included Israeli participants and was screened to a TV audience of a million people live on Yom Ha’atzmaut last week.
Another Hasmo girl, Miri Rees, 15, also made the finals of the diaspora competition, finishing in sixth place.
The trio earned the trip to Israel after success in the British heats which involved 60 children from 10 schools.
Chidon HaTanach UK’s Miri Garber said: "I'm incredibly proud of all our finalists who represented us in Israel, their achievements are a testament to their dedication, knowledge and passion for Tanach."
