Israel to hold identity contest

JERUSALEM, Jan. 22 (JTA) — The Israeli Ministry of Education and Bar-Ilan University have announced an international study competition on Jewish identity, to be held in honor of the 100th anniversary of the first Zionist Congress. The competition, which will be open to Jewish youths age 11 to 16, in both Israel and the Diaspora, will cover Jewish history, holidays and many other issues related to Jewish identity. On Jerusalem Day, which falls in May, participating countries will select representatives, who will then compete in the finals in Basel, Switzerland — the site of the first Zionist Congress in 1897. They will then travel to Israel for an educational seminar at Bar-Ilan University, scheduled for the end of June. The three top winners will receive a scholarship for a future year of study at the university. Those students wishing to compete must register by Feb. 15. For more information, contact Benny Hager at the Jewish Agency for Israel, 110 East 59th St., New York, N.Y. 10022. Or, call (212) 339-6071.