Siberian Contestants Achieve First Place

Alina and Tatiana, both from the city of Omsk in Siberia, are the grand winners of the first historic annual ‘Darkeinu Olympic’ Jewish Heritage Quiz, which took place earlier this month at the JCC of Moscow and was attended by representatives from 36 different Jewish schools from seven different countries of the former Soviet Union.

More than 550 pupils from 36 of the FJC’s ‘Or Avner’ network of Jewish schools in the Former Soviet Union participated three months ago in the first stage of the new Jewish heritage Quiz based on the innovative Darkeinu learning program.

The participating pupils, second to eighth grade, from Russia, Ukraine, Belarus, Georgia, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan and Latvia, dedicated hours upon hours in preparation for the quiz and astonished their teachers with the wide knowledge they managed to acquire. The first stage was a hand written test that was taken simultaneously by all the pupils.

Thirty-seven of the children who gained the highest score were invited to Moscow with one of their parents to participate in the final stage, which included an essay paper, a written test and a public quiz. However, before things warmed up, the representatives were treated to a day of fun and amusement.

The judges of the quiz, prominent figures from the Russian Jewish community, together with honorable guests and hundreds of viewers – were amazed time after time, during the quiz, by the answers delivered by the competitors.

In their final remarks, the judges expressed their gratitude towards the FJC and Or Avner’s educational team for the tremendous efforts invested in the creation of the Darkeinu learning program that has undoubtedly led to an exciting change in the knowledge and identity of the next generation of Russian Jewry with its heritage.

Both first prize winners will receive a free round flight to the land of Israel.