As everyone already knows, NJOP (National Jewish Outreach Program) is offering a Free Trip for 2 to Israel with their Judaica Across America Contest.
To enter, you need to submit a picture of a piece of Judaica you own along with a related story. The winner gets the tickets.
NJOP has begun to showcase some of the entries online.
I've reprinted one of them here:
Kiddush Cup
My family likes to joke about it sometimes - they say "don't forget to polish the holy grail" or "make sure to put the chalice in the dishwasher," and they 're not wrong; our Kiddush cup looks like it was swiped from King Arthur's court and mistakenly placed on our Shabbat table.
It isn't until you closely examine it that you see inscribed between the flowers & flourishes, the words “zechor et yom ha shabbat li kadsho” remember Shabbos & keep it holy.
Our kiddush cup has borne witness to almost 80 years of shabbosess remembered and kept holy, beginning in 1928 when my great grandfather received the cup as a wedding gift from his parents. It has presided over Friday night dinners in Germany, Saturday lunches in Poland and many yuntifs in New York, moving with my family as they traveled across the globe, running from Hitler’s Nazi regime.
The cup embodies the strength and perseverance of my great grandfather and is a testament to his commitment to Jewish life. After my great grandfather’s death, the Kiddush cup and its history were passed on to my father, who in turn relayed its story to my sister and me.
And one shabbos afternoon, im yirtzah hashem, my sister and I will gather our children round and tell them about the adventures of the Holy Grail.
--Suffern, NY
So "Dust off your Heritage", enter the contest, and maybe you will win a free trip for 2 to Israel.
Wherever I am, my blog turns towards Eretz Yisrael
Message for Jameel. I always hear so much about ppl lacking Jewish pride, but from what i've been reading on blogosphere most people seem buzzing and down w/it!
ReplyDeleteWhat gives? Did you guys ever write about that?
Thanks.
ARTHUR: Go and tell your master that we have been charged by God with a sacred quest. If he will give us food and shelter for the night, he can join us in our quest for the Holy Grail!
ReplyDeleteGUARD: Well, I'll ask him, but I don't think he'll be very keen...Uh, he's already got one, you see.
ARTHUR: What?
GALAHAD: He says they've already got one!
ARTHUR: Are you sure he's got one?
GUARD: Oh, yes, it's very nice-a.
[to other guards, snickering] I told him we already got one.
OTHER GUARDS: [laughing]