Young essayists capture Jewish American experience

"I became a better Jew by choosing the path of diversity," writes Barak Ben-Gal of San Francisco. "As a result, I am now ready to make that same choice to become a better American."

That sentiment helped the Israeli-born Ben-Gal, 29, win the $5,000 first-place prize in "Hear My Voice: As an American and a Jew," an essay contest sponsored by the S.F.-based Jewish Community Federation and its Endowment Fund. It was made possible through the support of the Taube Foundation for Jewish Life & Culture and the Koret Foundation.

Other finalists include second-place winner Marc Goldberg of San Francisco, who won $3,000, as well as Jason Harris of Arlington, Va., Sarah Kotleba of San Francisco and Hadara Stanton of San Francisco, all of whom won $1,000.

Open to 18- to 30-year-old native or current Bay Area Jewish Americans, the contest asked participants to explain in 1,000 words or less their views on being both American and Jewish. A luncheon honoring the winners is scheduled for noon, May 26, at the World Trade Club in San Francisco.

The panel of judges assessing the entries consisted of author Rachel Kadish; David Agger, a partner in Metropolis Partners and president of Mount Zion Health Fund; Marc Dollinger, writer and chair of the Jewish Studies Program at SFSU; Shana Penn, director of the Jewish Heritage Program in San Francisco; Fred Rosenbaum, founding director of Lehrhaus Judaica; Steven Dinkelspiel, publisher of San Francisco magazine; and Tiffany Shlain, founder and chairperson of The Webby Awards.

Each of the winning essays addressed the topic in different ways. Second-place winner Goldberg 31, wrote that the most important component of his Jewishness was to "make right what is wrong for those most in need regardless of their race, religion, ethnicity or background. As a Jew and an American, I can identify with the struggles of immigration."

Harris, 25 — a San Francisco native now working in Washington, D.C. — wrote in his third-place-winning essay: "I believe that Jewish history and beliefs compel us to act with compassion and conviction, but I also believe that American history teaches us to build a society based on justice and tolerance for all."

Finally Kotleba, 31, a Jew-by-choice, wrote in her fourth-place essay, "Choosing as an adult to live a Jewish life, I have experienced the love and sense of belonging that come with membership in the Jewish community. I have known the wisdom and strength that come from studying Torah."