Submission Deadline: November 10, 5 PM
Open to Grades 6 – 12 in Greater Long Beach-area schools
Entries: Original reflective essays, poetry, short stories, or graphic novels up to 1,000 words
Awards Reception: December 18 at the Alpert JCC
Prize: 1st place ($250), 2nd place ($100)

📝CLICK HERE TO SUBMIT YOUR WORK 

Note: All submissions are judged blindly. Do not include your name or grade in your submission or file name.

 

Prompt: “Light Up the Community—One Act of Kindness at a Time.”

In the movie Up, a house soars into the sky, lifted by hundreds of colorful balloons. Imagine that instead of balloons, a community is lifted by mitzvot—acts of goodness and kindness. Each mitzvah, big or small, is like a glowing light that carries people higher and brings them closer together.

 

We invite you to write a story, poem, or reflection on the theme: “Mitzvot that Light Up the Community.”

 

What good deeds would you choose to help lift your community? How could these actions bring light in times of darkness? What might the world look like if everyone’s mitzvot came together—like hundreds of glowing balloons lighting the sky? Show us through your creativity how small acts of kindness can spark big change and brighten the world.

 

Have questions? Contact Dana Schneider Chanzit at [email protected]