01.21.2010 - 

COLE ESSAY CONTEST RETURNS

High School Seniors Vie For $1,000 First Prize in Third Year of Contest

QUESTION:
“How I will perpetuate my Jewish knowledge and practice as a college freshman, and why.”

Columbus, Ohio – January 2010 – Envision your life as a college freshman, and in no more than two thousand words, describe how you will maintain your Jewish identity. Ben Kassoy of Bexley answered the question in March 2007. Yael Zinkow took home the prize in 2008. Leah Finkelstein submitted the winning essay in 2009. All were published locally in newspapers and on the web.

You could receive up to $1000 by submitting your essay to the David and Irene Cole Essay Contest at the Columbus Jewish Foundation. The contest is open to any Columbus area Jewish high school senior that will graduate this Spring. Applicants should address how and why they will perpetuate their Jewish knowledge and practice as a college freshman. The Foundation will announce the winning essay and finalists in May 2010.

The essay contest, sponsored by Stuart and Marilyn Cole, is aimed at challenging students to consider their future Jewish experiences at college. “It is named in memory of my husband’s parents,” said Marilyn Cole, a clinical social worker at Jewish Family Services. According to Stuart Cole, a local attorney, “My father had strong beliefs about the importance of Jewish education that were shared by my mother. Today, Jewish education and identity are an integral part of our lives and the lives of our three children, Sara, Ely and Rena.”

For the past three decades the Coles have been active participants in the Columbus Jewish
community. Through the Marilyn and Stuart Cole Philanthropic Fund of the Columbus Jewish Foundation, they fund the Columbus Torah Academy Physical Education Cup and Reading Recovery Program, and the Yachad Teen Tsiburim Program and Jewish Experience for Teens (JET) Culture Clubs of the JCC of Greater Columbus. The Coles are active members of Beth Jacob Congregation and Torat Emet / Main Street Synagogue.

Essays on “How I will perpetuate my Jewish knowledge and practice as a college freshman, and why.” must be hand-delivered or postmarked to the Columbus Jewish Foundation by Friday, April 16, 2010. Applications and essay requirements are available on-line at www.columbusjewishfoundation.org, by calling the Foundation office at 614-338-2365 or via e-mail at ColeEssay@tcjf.org