Research paper co-winner: Zayda Ehlers
Major: History major and Religion minor
Winning submission: “Social Movements and Prayer,” written for the class, “Jews, Judaism, and Jewishness,” taught by Dr. Yaniv Feller.
Zayda explains the paper:
“This paper was extremely important to me as a member of the LGBTQ+ community, as I was curious to see where Judaism stood when it came to queer discussion. While looking at LGBTQ+ topics, I also became particularly interested in how gendered prayers also impacted women in Judaism. Through research, I saw these two topics were both related and extremely significant to recent changes to Judaism, in both reform and conservative branches.”
Research paper co-winner: Lydia Mayhood
Major: Biology major with an Anthropology minor
Winning submission: “Guatemala and the Jews: An Evolving Relationship,” written as my final project for the class, “From Immigrants to a Minority: Jews in the Americas,” taught by Dr. Katalin Rac.
Lydia explains the paper:
“‘Jews in the Americas’ covered the history of Jewish people in several Latin American countries, such as Brazil, Argentina, Chile, and Mexico. I am Guatemalan on my father’s side, so Dr. Rac encouraged me to write a historiographical analysis of the limited academic sources on the history of Jews in Guatemala for my final class project. I also spoke with Alissa Guindi, whose oral history as a Guatemalan Jewish woman supplemented my literature review with personal, primary sources from the Jewish community in Guatemala. Writing this paper allowed me to incorporate my heritage into my academic work and to contribute to the visibility of the Jewish community of Guatemala.”
Honorable mention: Khalil A. Chebbi
Major: Economics and international studies major
The class I wrote it for was called Antisemitism and Islamophobia in Europe, and was taught by Dr. Armin Langer.
Honorable mention: Connor Hayes
Major: History Major
“Ven Abus Git tsu Zin (When Fathers Give to Sons)” – Class: Jews in the Americas, taught by Professor Katalin Rac.